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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. cap — of ice
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pass — a permit
  7. clip — a video
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. key — the most important part
  10. cap — a lid
  11. clip — to cut
  12. clip — for paper
  13. bore — to tire
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bass — the fish
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cap — a hat
  22. key — in music
  23. bass — low music
  24. bulb — for light

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