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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. shower — rain
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pitch — completely
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. key — in music
  8. march — music
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. scale — size or range
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. key — the most important part
  15. march — the month
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. stock — goods
  18. shower — to wash
  19. scale — in music
  20. key — for a lock
  21. stock — shares
  22. march — the month
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. scale — for weighing

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