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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. key — in music
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. current — happening now
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. row — a line
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — the most important part
  15. suit — to fit
  16. row — to paddle
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. mine — for digging
  21. suit — in cards
  22. current — electric
  23. suit — clothes
  24. current — of water

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