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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. ball — a great time
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — to handle
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. track — to keep track
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. track — a song
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bulb — for light
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bulb — for light
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. track — a path
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — completely
  24. craft — boats

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