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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ground · bulb · key · rock · pit · tube

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. key — in music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. rock — music
  7. ground — the earth
  8. rock — a stone
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. key — the most important part
  12. tube — a container
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pit — a hole
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. ground — crushed
  17. key — for a lock
  18. ground — a position

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