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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 120 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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. key — the most important part
  4. march — music
  5. key — for a lock
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. pitch — completely
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. march — the month
  13. bound — certain
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bound — obliged
  16. pit — in a race
  17. march — the month
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. key — in music
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bound — tied together

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