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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: pitch · chair · lean · spring · object · key · squash · wake

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. spring — of water
  4. pitch — completely
  5. squash — to crush
  6. key — for a lock
  7. object — a thing
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. key — in music
  10. spring — a coil
  11. wake — a trail
  12. object — an aim
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. squash — the sport
  15. lean — thin
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a leader
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. key — the most important part
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. lean — to bend
  23. object — to protest
  24. lean — to rest against

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