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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. charge — in control
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. field — a subject
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bulb — for light
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. field — farmland
  13. present — there
  14. bulb — for light
  15. charge — a price
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. field — for sport
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. charge — electricity
  23. tube — the underground
  24. season — of the year

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