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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. snap — to click
  9. cue — a hint
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cap — a lid
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. mine — for digging
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. suit — clothes
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. pitch — completely

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