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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: key · bore · stick · coach · cap · ground · pitch · bulb

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pitch — completely
  4. key — in music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. ground — the earth
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bore — to tire
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. cap — a lid
  21. ground — a position
  22. bulb — for light
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cap — a hat

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