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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. ground — the earth
  3. rock — music
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. ground — a position
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. key — in music
  9. firm — a company
  10. bulb — for light
  11. key — for a lock
  12. cold — not warm
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rock — a stone
  16. board — to get on
  17. cold — an illness
  18. ground — crushed
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — army training
  21. board — a committee
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. drill — the tool

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