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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: club · cabinet · spell · pitch · pitcher · stand · foot · key

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. club — for dancing
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. club — a group
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. spell — letters
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. spell — magic
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. spell — a short time
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. foot — a measure
  17. stand — to bear
  18. club — for golf
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — completely
  24. key — in 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