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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. clip — for paper
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cue — for pool
  8. clip — a video
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bank — for money
  11. cue — a signal
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pit — in a race
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bulb — for light
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bank — for money
  20. suit — clothes
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bulb — for light
  23. clip — to cut
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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