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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. object — a thing
  3. club — a group
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bound — certain
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bound — tied together
  10. object — an aim
  11. key — for a lock
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. key — in music
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bound — obliged
  18. club — for golf
  19. stand — to bear
  20. object — to protest
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. sharp — clever
  24. prune — to trim

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