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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 light ________________ burned out.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bulb — for light
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bound — obliged
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. object — a thing
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bulb — for light
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — an aim
  16. shower — rain
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. shower — to wash
  19. bound — certain
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bound — tied together
  23. track — a song
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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