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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bulb — for light
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. firm — a company
  7. wind — moving air
  8. spring — a coil
  9. tube — a container
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. swing — in golf
  13. spring — the season
  14. swing — music
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. firm — decided
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. spring — of water
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bulb — for light
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. swing — to play on
  23. firm — steady
  24. tube — the underground

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