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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.

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: firm · bulb · mate · pitch · temple · fine · rush · deal

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. fine — all right
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mate — a partner
  7. firm — steady
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. firm — decided
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. pitch — completely
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mate — a friend
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bulb — for light
  19. firm — a company
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. deal — to handle
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bulb — of a plant

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