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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pound · temple · pitch · bulb · board · lash

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. board — a committee
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. board — to get on
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. bulb — for light
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. pitch — completely
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — an eyelash

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