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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ground — the earth
  7. field — farmland
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. ground — crushed
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. march — the month
  17. march — music
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. field — for sport
  20. field — a subject
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bulb — for light
  23. march — the month
  24. ground — a position

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