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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 116 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. key — the most important part
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mug — a cup
  6. fine — all right
  7. key — for a lock
  8. fine — high quality
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. mug — a face
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. cap — of ice
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. cap — a hat
  16. key — in music
  17. cap — a lid
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. hand — help
  22. suit — in cards
  23. hand — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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