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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mug — a face
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. mug — to rob
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bat — the animal
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a committee
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — completely
  14. season — of the year
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mug — a cup
  18. season — in sport
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bulb — for light
  24. season — to add flavour

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