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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. face — to confront
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — to fit
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — obliged
  10. key — in music
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wax — to grow
  18. board — to get on
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — part of the head
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. board — a committee

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