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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. snap — to click
  3. pop — to visit
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. pop — music
  7. mine — for digging
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. staff — employees
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitch — completely
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. staff — a stick
  20. staff — employees
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pop — soda
  24. mine — an explosive

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