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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. suit — to fit
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. key — in music
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. root — of a word
  14. bulb — for light
  15. kid — child
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. kid — to tease
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. key — the most important part
  21. root — the cause
  22. suit — in cards
  23. fine — high quality
  24. root — of a plant

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