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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. key — in music
  3. bulb — for light
  4. current — of water
  5. current — happening now
  6. key — for a lock
  7. foot — a measure
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rash — a series
  10. face — to point toward
  11. key — the most important part
  12. face — to confront
  13. tube — a container
  14. bulb — for light
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. tube — the underground
  19. rash — hasty
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. current — electric
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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