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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: stem · pitch · bulb · dip · ball · fan · key · rest

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. dip — to sink
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ball — a great time
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pitch — completely
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bulb — for light
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. rest — a break
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. ball — a dance
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. key — for a lock
  20. stem — to come from
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bulb — of a plant

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