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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lie · pitch · staff · mark · bowl · capital · bulb · leaves

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bulb — for light
  3. staff — employees
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. mark — a grade
  9. capital — a city
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. staff — employees
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bulb — for light
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. staff — a stick
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. capital — money
  24. pitch — completely

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