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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bound — tied together
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bound — obliged
  12. mark — a trace
  13. net — in sport
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. net — after costs
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. can — to be able to
  20. net — for catching
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bound — certain
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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