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

Word bank: net · pitcher · rock · last · bulb · key · cap · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cap — a hat
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. last — final
  6. net — for catching
  7. last — to go on
  8. net — after costs
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. cap — a lid
  15. last — finally
  16. net — in sport
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bulb — for light
  19. key — in music
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. rock — music
  24. pitcher — a jug

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