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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: scale · bound · present · pit · squash · key · last · bulb

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. pit — a hole
  3. squash — the sport
  4. last — to go on
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. present — there
  8. bound — tied together
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pit — in a race
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. present — a gift
  16. present — the time now
  17. bound — certain
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bound — obliged
  20. key — in music
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. squash — to crush
  23. key — the most important part
  24. last — final

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