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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.

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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pitch — completely
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bound — obliged
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. dip — to sink
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bound — certain
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bound — tied together
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bear — to put up with

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