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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bulb — for light
  3. firm — decided
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. firm — a company
  9. lean — thin
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. firm — steady
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. hand — help
  15. bat — the animal
  16. hand — in cards
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. lean — to bend

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