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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: key · pit · mate · bulb · toast · net · spring · safe

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. mate — a friend
  3. net — in sport
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bulb — for light
  7. key — in music
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. pit — a hole
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. key — for a lock
  13. spring — the season
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — for catching
  18. spring — of water
  19. toast — bread
  20. pit — in a race
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. mate — to breed
  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