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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: mark · bulb · object · present · pass · fine · rush · key

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. key — for a lock
  5. object — an aim
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. fine — all right
  11. present — there
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. key — in music
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. object — a thing
  18. mark — a grade
  19. fine — high quality
  20. present — the time now
  21. object — to protest
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rush — hurry
  24. present — a gift

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