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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. firm — decided
  5. tube — a container
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cold — an illness
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — completely
  11. suit — in cards
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. can — a tin
  15. tube — the underground
  16. cold — not warm
  17. lie — to recline
  18. can — a tin
  19. bulb — for light
  20. firm — a company
  21. suit — clothes
  22. can — to be able to
  23. firm — steady
  24. bulb — for light

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