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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bulb — for light
  4. key — the most important part
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mark — a trace
  7. wax — to grow
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. charge — electricity
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. key — in music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. key — for a lock
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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