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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. key — for a lock
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — in music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bulb — for light
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of law
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mine — for digging
  19. band — a music group
  20. court — of a king
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. band — a ring

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