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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. present — there
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mate — a friend
  8. chest — of your body
  9. pitch — completely
  10. key — for a lock
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bound — certain
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. mate — to breed
  15. chest — a box
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bound — obliged
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — to bear
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. key — in music
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bound — tied together
  24. present — the time now

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