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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. present — there
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — the time now
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. land — a country
  13. land — to come down
  14. pitch — completely
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. land — ground
  18. toast — bread

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