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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 116 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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. club — for golf
  3. bulb — for light
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. suit — to fit
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. net — after costs
  14. prune — to trim
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — a group
  17. net — in sport
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. suit — clothes
  22. prune — to trim
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. net — for catching

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