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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. cold — an illness
  3. season — in sport
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. key — in music
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. tube — a container
  13. cold — not warm
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. suit — clothes
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. tube — the underground
  18. suit — to fit
  19. season — of the year
  20. suit — in cards
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — completely

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