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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: bulb · race · cue · key · plane · last · charge · spring

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. spring — of water
  3. plane — a tool
  4. key — the most important part
  5. last — to go on
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bulb — for light
  8. race — the arms race
  9. spring — the season
  10. cue — a hint
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. race — a contest
  15. last — final
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cue — a signal
  18. key — in music
  19. spring — a coil
  20. charge — a price
  21. race — humankind
  22. charge — electricity
  23. last — finally
  24. charge — in control

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