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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. rule — a law
  3. staff — employees
  4. key — the most important part
  5. fine — high quality
  6. key — in music
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. key — for a lock
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. staff — employees
  17. band — a music group
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. staff — a stick
  20. band — a ring
  21. rule — government
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. fine — all right
  24. rule — to rule out

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