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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. firm — a company
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pitch — completely
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. firm — steady
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. content — happy
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. content — the amount
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mine — for digging
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. snap — to click
  21. firm — decided
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. mug — a face

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