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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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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: lash · capital · content · bulb · wake · jam · pitch · stand

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. content — happy
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stand — to bear
  12. wake — a trail
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. capital — money
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. capital — a city
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bulb — for light
  24. lash — an eyelash

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