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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bound · bulb · key · pitch · face · rock · capital · pit

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. capital — a city
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. pit — in a race
  7. capital — money
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. face — to confront
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — certain
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pit — a hole
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bound — tied together
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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