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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.

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: rash · lie · board · kid · pitch · bulb · ground · key

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. ground — crushed
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — child
  7. ground — the earth
  8. board — to get on
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rash — a series
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. pitch — completely
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. key — in music
  22. board — a committee
  23. ground — a position
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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