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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 116 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: cell · bulb · suit · wind · pitch · bound · lie · pitcher

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bound — certain
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. suit — in cards
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. suit — to fit
  15. cell — a phone
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. wind — moving air
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wind — moving air
  24. cell — in biology

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