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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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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. key — in music
  3. field — for sport
  4. bass — low music
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. field — a subject
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. track — to keep track
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. track — a path
  14. key — the most important part
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. key — for a lock
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. track — a song
  20. bass — the fish
  21. field — farmland
  22. suit — in cards
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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