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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 116 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. cold — not warm
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. capital — a city
  14. bulb — for light
  15. hand — in cards
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. hand — help
  22. capital — money
  23. cold — an illness
  24. cabinet — ministers

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