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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. wind — moving air
  19. club — a group
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. club — for dancing
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. club — for golf

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