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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. spell — a short time
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. key — in music
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. cap — a hat
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. cap — of ice
  12. pit — in a race
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. spell — letters
  16. key — for a lock
  17. spell — magic
  18. cap — a lid

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