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

Word bank: key · bulb · mug · face · bay · pitch · snap · firm

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. firm — a company
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. mug — a face
  8. snap — to click
  9. key — the most important part
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — to confront
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. key — in music
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. face — part of the head
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mug — a cup
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. firm — decided
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pitch — completely

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