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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. band — a music group
  4. net — for catching
  5. key — the most important part
  6. board — a committee
  7. rule — government
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pitch — completely
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. key — for a lock
  13. net — after costs
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — to get on
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mug — to rob
  18. band — a ring
  19. net — in sport
  20. rule — a law
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — a face

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