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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 · current · clip · stand · pitch · object · cap · bark

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. current — happening now
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. current — electric
  7. bulb — for light
  8. object — an aim
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. cap — of ice
  11. object — to protest
  12. cap — a lid
  13. clip — to cut
  14. bark — to shout
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. stand — to bear
  19. clip — a video
  20. current — of water
  21. bulb — for light
  22. object — a thing
  23. cap — a hat
  24. clip — for paper

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