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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.

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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rest — a break
  3. current — electric
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. object — an aim
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. object — a thing
  9. current — happening now
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. rest — what's left
  13. key — in music
  14. current — of water
  15. key — for a lock
  16. mark — a grade
  17. fork — in a road
  18. mark — a trace
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. object — to protest
  24. rest — what's left

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