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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — in football
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. firm — decided
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rush — hurry
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. firm — steady
  19. date — the fruit
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. dip — to sink
  23. firm — a company
  24. dip — a sauce

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