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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bound — certain
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. staff — a stick
  7. chest — a box
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. chest — of your body
  12. chest — of your body
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bound — tied together
  15. perch — the fish
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — to crush
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. staff — employees
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pitch — completely
  22. staff — employees
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wave — with your hand

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