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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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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 · bulb · arm · toast · mate · mark · suit · deal

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mark — a grade
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. mate — a friend
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bulb — for light
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a partner
  22. pitch — completely
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — bread

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