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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. present — a gift
  3. spring — a coil
  4. tube — a container
  5. spring — the season
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. toast — bread
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. spring — of water
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — music
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — there
  21. key — the most important part
  22. tube — the underground
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mouse — for a computer

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