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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fine — all right
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. capital — a city
  10. fine — high quality
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bass — the fish
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. game — wild animals
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. game — a match
  23. capital — money
  24. bass — low music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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