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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. ball — a dance
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. kick — in football
  9. land — ground
  10. land — a country
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. pitch — completely
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. land — to come down
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wax — to grow
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. ball — a great time

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