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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. key — the most important part
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. cue — a signal
  6. march — the month
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. key — in music
  10. cue — a hint
  11. march — the month
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mark — a trace
  15. pitch — completely
  16. mark — a grade
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a line
  23. march — music
  24. cue — for pool

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