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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 116 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: capital · firm · deal · ruler · bulb · pitch · wound · hand

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. capital — money
  4. hand — help
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. capital — a city
  8. firm — steady
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. firm — decided
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. deal — to handle
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — an injury
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bulb — for light
  20. firm — a company
  21. hand — in cards
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. deal — a big deal
  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