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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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. file — a document
  7. pitch — completely
  8. fine — high quality
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. swing — to play on
  11. file — a line of people
  12. cap — a lid
  13. fine — all right
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a hat
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bulb — for light
  19. swing — in golf
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. file — a tool
  22. bulb — for light
  23. swing — music
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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