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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: race · rock · tube · bulb · lean · lie · pitch · ground

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. ground — crushed
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. race — a contest
  8. race — the arms race
  9. lean — to bend
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. tube — a container
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. ground — the earth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — the underground
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lean — thin
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. race — humankind
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. ground — a position
  24. pitch — completely

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