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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bound · pit · mug · bass · bulb · key · roll · capital

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bound — certain
  7. capital — money
  8. roll — a cake
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bass — the fish
  11. key — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. capital — a city
  14. bound — tied together
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bass — low music
  17. bound — obliged
  18. mug — to rob
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. roll — a list
  23. mug — a face
  24. bulb — for light

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