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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cue — for pool
  9. firm — a company
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bark — to shout
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. firm — steady
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. firm — decided
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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