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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pop — to visit
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bulb — for light
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mark — a trace
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bear — the animal
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pop — music
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pop — soda
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — for betting
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. perch — the fish
  20. mark — a grade
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. nail — for a hammer

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