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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. bulb — for light
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. mate — to breed
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. field — a subject
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. field — farmland
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ball — a great time
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bulb — for light
  18. suit — in cards
  19. field — for sport
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. sharp — clever
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pitch — a sports field

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