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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. toast — bread
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lean — to bend
  5. key — in music
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. dip — to sink
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pound — a weight
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. bulb — for light
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. lean — thin
  24. pound — to hit hard

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