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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: pitch · fan · key · pit · stand · vault · spring · stem

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  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. pitch — a sports field
  3. key — for a lock
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. pit — in a race
  7. spring — of water
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stand — to bear
  13. key — in music
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. spring — a coil
  19. pit — a hole
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. key — the most important part
  22. vault — a safe
  23. pitch — completely
  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