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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: track · spring · scale · key · pass · squash · bulb · bowl

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. key — for a lock
  3. track — a song
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. scale — in music
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. key — in music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. track — to keep track
  16. spring — the season
  17. track — a path
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bulb — for light
  20. scale — size or range
  21. pass — a permit
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — to crush
  24. spring — a coil

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