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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  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. spring — the season
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. can — a tin
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. fall — to drop
  10. can — to be able to
  11. fall — to drop
  12. spring — of water
  13. fork — in a road
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — to protest
  16. ball — a dance
  17. object — a thing
  18. can — a tin
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. fall — the season
  22. ball — a great time
  23. spring — a coil
  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