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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: sharp · wave · bulb · mark · perch · mine · key · pit

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mine — for digging
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. key — the most important part
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pit — a hole
  14. perch — the fish
  15. pit — in a race
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. sharp — clever
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. key — in music

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