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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. can — to be able to
  3. foot — a measure
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bass — the fish
  10. pitch — completely
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. key — in music
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. key — for a lock
  17. row — to paddle
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bass — low music
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. row — a line
  23. stem — to come from
  24. pitch — a sports field

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