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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bulb — for light
  3. spell — a short time
  4. court — of law
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. key — the most important part
  7. ball — a great time
  8. court — of a king
  9. key — for a lock
  10. staff — employees
  11. court — for sport
  12. cue — a hint
  13. spell — letters
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bulb — for light
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest
  19. ball — a dance
  20. object — an aim
  21. key — in music
  22. cue — a signal
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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