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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: leaves · snap · key · bulb · rock · staff · march · net

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. net — after costs
  5. march — the month
  6. key — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. net — in sport
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. march — music
  11. staff — employees
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. key — for a lock
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bulb — for light
  18. snap — to click
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. rock — music
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — a stick
  24. net — for catching

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