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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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468
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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. key — for a lock
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. scale — in music
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. game — a match
  13. scale — size or range
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. key — in music
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. game — wild animals
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — of a tree

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