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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.

Words on the sheet
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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bulb — for light
  4. ball — a great time
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. spell — a short time
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bulb — for light
  16. key — the most important part
  17. spell — letters
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — in music
  20. ball — a dance
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. spell — magic
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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