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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: stand · key · pitcher · arm · present · rush · clip · bulb

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. present — a gift
  6. bulb — for light
  7. present — the time now
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. key — the most important part
  11. clip — to cut
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bulb — for light
  14. clip — for paper
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — to bear
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — in music
  21. rush — hurry
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. present — there
  24. clip — a video

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