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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — in music
  3. spell — letters
  4. staff — a stick
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bound — certain
  7. staff — employees
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bound — tied together
  14. staff — employees
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. spell — magic
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bound — obliged

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