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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. vault — a safe
  3. roll — a cake
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. roll — a list
  13. ball — a dance
  14. key — the most important part
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. ball — a great time
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. key — in music
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

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

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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