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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: pitch · present · pit · chip · temple · drill · staff · bulb

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pit — in a race
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. chip — to eat
  10. present — there
  11. bulb — for light
  12. drill — army training
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. drill — the tool
  15. staff — a stick
  16. present — a gift
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. present — the time now
  19. drill — a practice
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. pit — a hole

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