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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 120 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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. degree — from a university
  9. degree — temperature
  10. degree — an amount
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bank — of a river
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — a trail
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pitch — completely
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — boats
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bulb — for light
  24. craft — a skill

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