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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — in music
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. sharp — clever
  12. cue — a hint
  13. degree — temperature
  14. degree — from a university
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. cue — a signal
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. key — the most important part
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. degree — an amount
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. cue — for pool

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