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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pitch — completely
  4. key — the most important part
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. key — in music
  8. club — for golf
  9. vault — a safe
  10. present — a gift
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. net — after costs
  14. rush — hurry
  15. net — for catching
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. present — the time now
  18. club — for dancing
  19. net — in sport
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. key — for a lock
  23. present — there
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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