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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: bulb · bat · calf · pitch · rest · cabinet · bound · rush

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bound — tied together
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bulb — for light
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bound — certain
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rush — to hurry

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