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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pitch — completely
  3. club — a group
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. band — a music group
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. club — for dancing
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. band — a ring
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — a weight
  22. date — the fruit
  23. club — for golf
  24. bulb — of a plant

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