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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. key — for a lock
  3. pass — a permit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — a position
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wake — a trail
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. key — in music
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. date — the fruit
  23. ground — the earth
  24. key — the most important part

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