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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 light ________________ burned out.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. chest — of your body
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. chest — a box
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. press — to push
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. pitch — completely
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bulb — for light
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. press — newspapers
  21. suit — in cards
  22. press — a publisher
  23. rest — a break
  24. hand — help

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