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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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. bore — to tire
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. can — a tin
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. can — a tin
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bore — to drill
  15. season — of the year
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wind — moving air
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. pitch — completely
  23. season — in sport
  24. wind — to turn a key

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