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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. rush — hurry
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. cap — of ice
  7. object — to protest
  8. clip — a video
  9. bulb — for light
  10. clip — to cut
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — an aim
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. charge — a price
  17. clip — for paper
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. charge — electricity
  20. cap — a hat
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. charge — in control
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — a weight

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