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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: bulb · pitch · sharp · ball · capital · mug · cap · firm

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. capital — a city
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — decided
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mug — a cup
  11. ball — a dance
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. cap — a hat
  15. mug — to rob
  16. cap — of ice
  17. mug — a face
  18. cap — a lid
  19. capital — money
  20. pitch — completely
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bulb — for light
  23. ball — a great time
  24. firm — a company

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