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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mine — for digging
  6. key — the most important part
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pitch — completely
  9. fine — high quality
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. pass — a permit
  13. key — in music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. fine — all right
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. chest — a box
  23. chest — of your body
  24. mine — an explosive

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