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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: key · sharp · mug · bulb · plane · field · jam · leaves

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. key — in music
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. field — a subject
  5. mug — a face
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mug — a cup
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. key — the most important part
  12. field — for sport
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. field — farmland
  18. bulb — for light
  19. plane — a tool
  20. mug — to rob
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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