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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bulb — for light
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bound — certain
  5. rest — what's left
  6. scale — in music
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. object — to protest
  11. bass — low music
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. saw — the tool
  14. object — an aim
  15. key — for a lock
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — obliged
  20. object — a thing
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bulb — for light
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — in music

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