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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pitch — completely
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. hand — help
  8. key — the most important part
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. key — in music
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fine — all right
  17. rest — what's left
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. hand — in cards
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. fine — high quality

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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