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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. club — a group
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. last — finally
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. club — for golf
  11. key — the most important part
  12. club — for dancing
  13. key — in music
  14. tube — a container
  15. last — to go on
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bulb — for light
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. rest — what's left
  20. last — final
  21. rest — what's left
  22. key — for a lock
  23. rest — a break
  24. bowl — a football final

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