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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 120 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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. object — an aim
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. object — a thing
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bass — low music
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bore — to drill
  20. wound — an injury
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. object — to protest
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bass — the fish

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