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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. key — for a lock
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. key — in music
  16. lean — thin
  17. key — the most important part
  18. date — the fruit
  19. lean — to bend
  20. land — a country
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — ground

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