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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: pit · fine · arm · charge · bulb · pitch · calf · cold

  1. The water is too ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pitch — completely
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pit — a hole
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — high quality
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bulb — for light
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. charge — a price
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. cold — an illness
  21. fine — all right
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. calf — a young animal

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