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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: kick · rush · bulb · pitch · coach · clip · present · pass

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. present — there
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. clip — a video
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. clip — to cut
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pitch — completely
  13. present — the time now
  14. pass — a permit
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. kick — in football
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. rush — hurry
  23. clip — for paper
  24. kick — a thrill

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