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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. date — the fruit
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. rash — a series
  8. key — the most important part
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bank — for money
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pit — a hole
  15. dip — to sink
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bank — for money
  19. pit — in a race
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bank — of a river
  23. rash — hasty
  24. pitcher — a jug

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