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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 120 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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. bulb — for light
  4. march — the month
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. kid — child
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. march — music
  17. lie — to recline
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bowl — a dish

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