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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. club — a group
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. key — the most important part
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. club — for golf
  11. cue — a signal
  12. bulb — for light
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — an aim
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cue — for pool
  17. hand — in cards
  18. cue — a hint
  19. key — for a lock
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. key — in music
  22. club — for dancing
  23. object — to protest
  24. branch — a division

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