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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: pitch · spring · court · bulb · charge · key · fork · straw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. spring — a coil
  3. key — in music
  4. charge — in control
  5. fork — in a road
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bulb — for light
  8. key — the most important part
  9. spring — the season
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. court — for sport
  15. spring — of water
  16. charge — electricity
  17. court — of law
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. pitch — completely
  23. court — of a king
  24. charge — a price

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