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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: content · leaves · bulb · pitch · firm · safe · cold · suit

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. firm — steady
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. suit — to fit
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. pitch — completely
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. cold — an illness
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. suit — in cards
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. suit — clothes
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bulb — for light
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. firm — decided
  20. content — happy
  21. content — the amount
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. cold — not warm
  24. bulb — for light

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