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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. field — a subject
  5. key — in music
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ball — a great time
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bear — the animal
  13. key — for a lock
  14. club — a group
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. field — for sport
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bear — the animal
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. field — farmland
  22. club — for golf
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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