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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: bulb · stick · pound · chip · ruler · cue · saw · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. chip — for betting
  9. cue — for pool
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chip — to eat
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. pound — a weight
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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