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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pitch — completely
  3. snap — to click
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. rule — a law
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. club — for golf
  14. prune — to trim
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bulb — for light
  19. prune — to trim
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for dancing
  22. rule — government
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — music

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