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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bulb — for light
  4. band — a ring
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. rush — hurry
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. band — a music group
  13. key — in music
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bulb — for light
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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