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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 120 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: key · sharp · squash · bulb · bear · pitch · face · snap

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pitch — completely
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. key — the most important part
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — clever
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. face — to confront
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. key — in music
  20. bear — the animal
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. face — part of the head

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