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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: rock · bulb · mouse · key · fine · roll · cold · net

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. net — in sport
  4. fine — all right
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cold — an illness
  7. cold — not warm
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. key — in music
  11. net — for catching
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bulb — for light
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. key — the most important part
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rock — music
  20. net — after costs
  21. roll — a cake
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. roll — a list
  24. key — for a lock

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