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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 120 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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitch — completely
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. prune — to trim
  7. key — in music
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. march — the month
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. march — music
  13. mate — to breed
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — a friend
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. march — the month
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — the most important part

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