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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. charge — in control
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — crushed
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pit — in a race
  10. ground — the earth
  11. pitch — completely
  12. kick — in football
  13. rash — hasty
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. charge — a price
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. drill — a practice
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. drill — the tool
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pit — a hole
  23. drill — army training
  24. rash — a series

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