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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a match
  4. deal — to handle
  5. rush — hurry
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. present — there
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — the time now
  20. pitch — completely
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. game — a kind of play

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