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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pass — a permit
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pit — a hole
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. ball — a great time
  13. pitch — completely
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rash — hasty
  18. pit — in a race
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — a series
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pitch — a sports field

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