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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.

Make a worksheet

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: temple · pitch · game · spell · hide · bulb · rule · stand

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. spell — letters
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. stand — to bear
  11. rule — government
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bulb — for light
  15. spell — magic
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. rule — a law
  18. spell — a short time
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. game — wild animals
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. game — a match
  24. bulb — for light

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