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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pass — a permit
  9. key — in music
  10. root — of a word
  11. spring — the season
  12. key — for a lock
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. root — the cause
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lean — thin
  17. kick — in football
  18. spring — a coil
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mug — a face
  22. root — of a plant
  23. spring — of water
  24. lean — to bend

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