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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. board — a committee
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bulb — for light
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. kid — child
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. key — the most important part
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. kid — to tease
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. band — a ring
  15. key — for a lock
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. content — the amount
  19. bulb — for light
  20. board — to get on
  21. content — happy
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. wake — before a funeral

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