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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. object — a thing
  3. staff — a stick
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. stock — shares
  8. can — a tin
  9. object — to protest
  10. can — a tin
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. staff — employees
  20. object — an aim
  21. can — to be able to
  22. staff — employees
  23. bear — the animal
  24. stock — goods

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