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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. rush — hurry
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. capital — money
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. capital — a city
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rush — to hurry

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