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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 120 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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 — a sales talk
  2. file — a tool
  3. board — to get on
  4. sharp — clever
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. suit — in cards
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pitch — completely
  10. file — a document
  11. key — in music
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. squash — the sport
  14. file — a line of people
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. board — a committee
  17. squash — to crush
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. pass — a permit
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — the most important part
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  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