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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. rash — a series
  3. key — for a lock
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. band — a music group
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. key — in music
  11. mate — a partner
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. rash — hasty
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. key — the most important part
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. mate — to breed
  19. band — a ring
  20. mate — a friend
  21. sharp — clever
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. sharp — exactly

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