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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 116 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: pass · lie · race · bound · pitch · bat · bulb · bay

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bound — tied together
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bulb — for light
  6. lie — to recline
  7. pass — a permit
  8. race — humankind
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bound — certain
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. race — the arms race
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. race — a contest
  24. bound — obliged

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