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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. key — in music
  3. last — to go on
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. pitch — completely
  6. chip — for betting
  7. key — the most important part
  8. deal — to handle
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. present — a gift
  11. bat — the animal
  12. present — there
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. key — for a lock
  17. chip — to eat
  18. present — the time now
  19. last — final
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. last — finally
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. lie — to recline
  24. deal — a big deal

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