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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.

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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: last · pass · bulb · land · can · wave · key · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bulb — for light
  5. land — ground
  6. can — a tin
  7. key — for a lock
  8. land — to come down
  9. bulb — for light
  10. key — in music
  11. can — to be able to
  12. land — a country
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. key — the most important part
  15. can — a tin
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. last — final
  19. club — for dancing
  20. last — finally
  21. pass — a permit
  22. last — to go on
  23. club — for golf
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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