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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. wake — a trail
  4. key — the most important part
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. key — in music
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. bear — the animal
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. season — of the year
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bulb — for light
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. season — in sport
  24. key — for a lock

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