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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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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: fall · season · leaves · pop · pitch · key · pass · bound

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pop — music
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. pop — soda
  5. key — in music
  6. pop — to visit
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bound — tied together
  10. key — the most important part
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. season — of the year
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bound — certain
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bound — obliged
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. season — in sport
  24. fall — the season

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