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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 116 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 · key · wind · stand · tube · suit · stick · bulb

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. suit — in cards
  5. key — in music
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pitch — completely
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. wind — moving air
  15. stand — to bear
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — a container
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. wind — moving air
  20. suit — to fit
  21. key — for a lock
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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