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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. firm — steady
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pitch — completely
  10. firm — a company
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. sharp — clever
  13. firm — decided
  14. bulb — for light
  15. race — a contest
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. race — the arms race
  19. race — humankind
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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