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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. key — for a lock
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. content — happy
  10. club — for golf
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pitch — completely
  15. suit — in cards
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. suit — clothes
  19. content — the amount
  20. key — in music
  21. club — for dancing
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. key — the most important part
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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