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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. march — music
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. march — the month
  7. march — the month
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. key — in music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. pitch — completely
  12. key — for a lock
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. rash — a series
  17. cue — for pool
  18. rash — hasty

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