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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.

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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: chip · squash · bulb · march · pitch · deal · present · toast

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. squash — to crush
  3. deal — to handle
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bulb — for light
  7. present — there
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. march — the month
  13. bulb — for light
  14. march — the month
  15. chip — for betting
  16. present — the time now
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — bread
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. march — music
  23. squash — the sport
  24. present — a gift

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