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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bulb — for light
  3. suit — in cards
  4. chest — of your body
  5. present — there
  6. chest — a box
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. net — after costs
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. net — in sport
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. present — the time now
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bulb — for light
  16. present — a gift
  17. chest — of your body
  18. net — for catching
  19. suit — to fit
  20. object — to protest
  21. rock — a stone
  22. suit — clothes
  23. object — a thing
  24. rock — 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