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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. key — the most important part
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. tube — a container
  7. staff — a stick
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. tube — the underground
  12. staff — employees
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. ball — a dance
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. rush — hurry
  20. key — for a lock
  21. staff — employees
  22. ball — a great time
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. key — in music

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