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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. chip — for betting
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. band — a ring
  6. pitch — completely
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bulb — for light
  11. club — for golf
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ball — a great time
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. foot — a measure
  18. club — for dancing
  19. ball — a dance
  20. band — a music group
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. rest — what's left
  23. club — a group
  24. bulb — of a plant

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