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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.

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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: stand · key · pitcher · perch · plane · pitch · pop · charge

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. key — in music
  3. pop — music
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — a price
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pop — soda
  13. key — the most important part
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stand — to bear
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. key — for a lock
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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