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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. key — in music
  10. cap — a hat
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rock — a stone
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — the most important part
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — in golf
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. rock — music
  21. cap — of ice
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cap — a lid
  24. swing — to play on

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