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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bulb — for light
  3. clip — to cut
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. staff — employees
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. suit — clothes
  9. staff — employees
  10. tube — the underground
  11. pitch — completely
  12. tube — a container
  13. staff — a stick
  14. suit — in cards
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bear — the animal
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bulb — for light
  19. clip — for paper
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bear — the animal
  22. suit — to fit
  23. clip — a video
  24. tube — in a tire

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