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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: cabinet · mate · toast · pitch · craft · bulb · jam · deal

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mate — a partner
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mate — a friend
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. toast — bread
  17. pitch — completely
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bulb — for light
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. jam — to spread on 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