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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pitch — completely
  3. fall — to drop
  4. staff — a stick
  5. kick — in football
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. fall — to drop
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fall — the season
  13. staff — employees
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. firm — decided
  16. prune — to trim
  17. firm — a company
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bulb — for light
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. firm — steady
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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