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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. lean — thin
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. swing — to play on
  11. pitch — completely
  12. bark — to shout
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. key — the most important part
  15. swing — music
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. key — in music
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. key — for a lock
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. swing — in golf
  24. ruler — for measuring

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