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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. rule — a law
  3. pop — music
  4. ball — a dance
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bulb — for light
  7. march — the month
  8. march — the month
  9. march — music
  10. scale — size or range
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pop — soda
  14. pop — to visit
  15. charge — a price
  16. bulb — for light
  17. scale — in music
  18. ball — a great time
  19. rule — government
  20. key — in music
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. key — for a lock

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com