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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.

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: plane · season · chip · bulb · swing · key · drill · pitch

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. chip — for betting
  3. key — in music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. swing — in golf
  6. plane — a tool
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bulb — for light
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. pitch — completely
  13. swing — music
  14. drill — the tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — a practice
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. chip — to eat
  24. pitch — a sports field

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