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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 116 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: spell · cue · key · bulb · saw · pit

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pit — in a race
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cue — for pool
  5. key — for a lock
  6. spell — letters
  7. key — in music
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cue — a signal
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. cue — a hint
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. key — the most important part
  16. saw — the tool
  17. spell — magic
  18. pit — a hole

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