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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. deal — to handle
  5. game — wild animals
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bulb — for light
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. lean — thin
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bulb — for light
  16. plane — a tool
  17. key — in music
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. key — the most important part
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. game — a match
  22. snap — to click
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. sharp — clever

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