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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. march — the month
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bass — low music
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bass — the fish
  8. key — in music
  9. bulb — for light
  10. clip — to cut
  11. key — for a lock
  12. clip — for paper
  13. firm — decided
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. march — music
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. firm — steady
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. perch — the fish
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. clip — a video
  23. firm — a company
  24. march — the month

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