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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 had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. pass — a permit
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. key — in music
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. row — a line
  10. bulb — for light
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. game — wild animals
  13. game — a match
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. key — for a lock
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. row — to paddle
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bulb — for light
  24. tube — a container

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