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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.

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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: field · bark · bulb · pitch · key · chip · nail · rush

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bark — to shout
  5. key — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. field — a subject
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. field — farmland
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. field — for sport
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. key — for a lock

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