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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — to protest
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rule — a law
  9. object — a thing
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. suit — in cards
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. field — farmland
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pass — a permit
  16. suit — to fit
  17. field — for sport
  18. rule — government
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. field — a subject
  23. suit — clothes
  24. calf — a young animal

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