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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bulb — for light
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. key — in music
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. cue — a hint
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — the most important part
  16. cue — for pool
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cue — a signal
  21. pound — a weight
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. cap — a hat
  24. dip — a sauce

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