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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 116 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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bulb — for light
  3. present — there
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bound — certain
  8. can — a tin
  9. pitch — completely
  10. can — a tin
  11. net — in sport
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — obliged
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — a gift
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — for catching
  19. bulb — for light
  20. can — to be able to
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bulb — of a plant

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