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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bulb — for light
  7. squash — to crush
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bore — to tire
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. squash — the sport
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rash — hasty
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. leaves — of a tree

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