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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 116 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — music
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. club — a group
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bulb — for light
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rule — a law
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. craft — boats
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. club — for golf
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. rule — government

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