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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bulb — for light
  8. scale — in music
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wound — an injury
  11. cue — for pool
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — size or range
  15. key — in music
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wound — an injury
  18. key — for a lock
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cue — a signal
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. ruler — for measuring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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