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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. club — a group
  3. object — a thing
  4. bulb — for light
  5. degree — an amount
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. suit — clothes
  9. object — an aim
  10. degree — temperature
  11. suit — to fit
  12. degree — from a university
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mug — a cup
  16. object — to protest
  17. wind — moving air
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mug — a face
  23. wind — moving air
  24. club — for golf

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