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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 116 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: bulb · stand · chip · drill · kick · fine · pitch · spell

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — magic
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. fine — all right
  9. spell — letters
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stand — to bear
  14. chip — for betting
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. drill — army training
  18. bulb — for light
  19. drill — the tool
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. fine — high quality
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — completely

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