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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 124 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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. cap — a lid
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rest — what's left
  7. key — in music
  8. mate — to breed
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cap — of ice
  11. rest — a break
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. shower — to wash
  14. rest — what's left
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. shower — rain
  17. mate — a partner
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mate — a friend
  21. cap — a hat
  22. foot — a measure
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. racket — a loud noise

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