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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: pitch · current · bulb · staff · dip · cell · deal · face

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bulb — for light
  9. current — electric
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bulb — for light
  12. dip — to sink
  13. face — to confront
  14. cell — in biology
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. current — of water
  20. cell — a phone
  21. pitch — completely
  22. current — happening now
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. face — to point toward

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