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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — to wash
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. shower — rain
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. prune — to trim
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. cap — of ice
  12. key — in music
  13. sharp — clever
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. prune — to trim
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. cap — a lid
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — for a lock

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