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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. bass — the fish
  4. pitch — completely
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pop — music
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. ground — a position
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. ground — crushed
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. pop — soda
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ground — the earth
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. deal — a big deal

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