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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: mouse · bulb · object · ground · hand · firm · fall · pitch

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. object — a thing
  4. firm — a company
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. fall — the season
  9. hand — help
  10. ground — a position
  11. bulb — for light
  12. firm — steady
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bulb — for light
  15. hand — in cards
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — to protest
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. firm — decided
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pitch — completely
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — the earth

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