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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: pitch · cabinet · bulb · bear · present · face · lean · club

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. lean — to bend
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. club — a group
  5. bear — the animal
  6. present — the time now
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. club — for golf
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — to point toward
  14. present — a gift
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bulb — for light
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. present — there
  21. bulb — for light
  22. club — for dancing
  23. pitch — completely
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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