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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: pitch · fork · pound · staff · snap · cue · bulb · deal

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. staff — employees
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — for pool
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. fork — in a road
  16. snap — to click
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. deal — to handle
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. staff — employees
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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