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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bear — the animal
  5. present — there
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. present — a gift
  8. pass — a permit
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. chip — to eat
  14. present — the time now
  15. bear — the animal
  16. ball — a dance
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. ball — a great time
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. ball — a round shape

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