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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. chair — a leader
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bear — the animal
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. pitch — completely
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. key — in music
  13. bear — the animal
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. key — the most important part
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. suit — in cards
  18. key — for a lock
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. cabinet — ministers

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