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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.

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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: pitch · ruler · tube · firm · bore · present · stick · bulb

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. present — the time now
  3. bulb — for light
  4. present — there
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — steady
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. firm — decided
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bore — to drill
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. pitch — completely
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. tube — a container
  20. present — a gift
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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