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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 · squash · ground · pitch · suit · bulb · fine · pop

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. pop — soda
  4. suit — in cards
  5. squash — to crush
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fine — all right
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. key — the most important part
  11. ground — the earth
  12. key — in music
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. ground — crushed
  16. squash — the sport
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. ground — a position
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fine — high quality
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pop — music

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