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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 120 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mate — a partner
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. chest — a box
  6. club — a group
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. chest — of your body
  10. club — for dancing
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. fall — to drop
  15. chest — of your body
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. board — a committee
  19. pitch — completely
  20. board — to get on
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. fall — the season
  23. mate — to breed
  24. club — for golf

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