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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. wind — moving air
  3. lie — to recline
  4. key — for a lock
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. key — in music
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. firm — a company
  9. scale — in music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. wind — moving air
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. kick — in football
  20. firm — steady
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. firm — decided
  23. scale — size or range
  24. pitch — a sports field

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