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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. key — the most important part
  4. last — to go on
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bass — low music
  18. last — final
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bass — the fish
  21. last — finally
  22. key — in music
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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