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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 120 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: bulb · bass · squash · bore · cell · pitch · cap · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bulb — for light
  3. squash — the sport
  4. bore — to drill
  5. firm — steady
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. bass — low music
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bore — to tire
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. firm — decided
  17. cell — a phone
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pitch — completely
  22. cap — of ice
  23. squash — to crush
  24. cap — a lid

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