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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: hide · calf · object · rock · rule · bulb · press · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. press — a publisher
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. bulb — for light
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bulb — for light
  10. object — an aim
  11. rock — music
  12. press — to push
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rule — government
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rule — a law
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. object — to protest
  22. rock — a stone
  23. press — newspapers
  24. object — a thing

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