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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.

Make a worksheet

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: pit · arm · cap · game · bulb · scale · bass · key

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bass — low music
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. key — for a lock
  5. pit — in a race
  6. cap — a lid
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bulb — for light
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — wild animals
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — in music
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. scale — in music
  19. bass — the fish
  20. game — a match
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. pit — a hole
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bulb — for light

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