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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 116 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bulb — for light
  3. tube — a container
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bass — low music
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bass — the fish
  13. suit — to fit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. swing — music
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bulb — for light
  19. key — the most important part
  20. swing — in golf
  21. key — for a lock
  22. prune — to trim
  23. snap — to click
  24. tube — the underground

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