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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 120 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: spell · staff · pitch · spring · plane · key · pit · sharp

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. pit — a hole
  3. staff — employees
  4. pitch — completely
  5. staff — a stick
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. spring — of water
  11. key — for a lock
  12. pit — in a race
  13. spell — a short time
  14. plane — a tool
  15. spell — magic
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. spring — a coil
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. sharp — clever
  20. staff — employees
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. spell — letters
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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