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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. rest — a break
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pound — a weight
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. toast — bread
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bulb — for light
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pitch — completely

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