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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: bulb · chair · spring · track · scale · nail · spell · key

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. chair — a leader
  3. spring — of water
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. spell — a short time
  7. scale — size or range
  8. spring — the season
  9. key — for a lock
  10. track — a path
  11. spell — letters
  12. scale — in music
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. track — a song
  15. spell — magic
  16. spring — a coil
  17. track — to keep track
  18. key — in music
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. key — the most important part

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