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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. key — in music
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. current — electric
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. kick — in football
  9. pitch — completely
  10. current — of water
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. hand — in cards
  13. present — there
  14. current — happening now
  15. pit — in a race
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. key — for a lock
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — the time now
  20. rush — hurry
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. pit — a hole
  24. hand — help

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