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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
468
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: snap · pop · bulb · row · club · present · key · can

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. pop — to visit
  3. row — a line
  4. bulb — for light
  5. can — a tin
  6. club — a group
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. row — to paddle
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — for dancing
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pop — soda
  14. present — a gift
  15. key — for a lock
  16. snap — to click
  17. present — there
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. can — a tin
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pop — music
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. present — the time now
  24. key — in music

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