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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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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: bulb · squash · rush · bear · pop · calf · board · pitch

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bear — the animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rush — hurry
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. squash — the sport
  12. pop — music
  13. board — to get on
  14. squash — to crush
  15. pop — soda
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pop — to visit
  21. board — a committee
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. board — a flat piece

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