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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. key — the most important part
  4. chip — to eat
  5. rash — a series
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. rush — hurry
  9. pitch — completely
  10. kick — in football
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rash — hasty
  14. chip — for betting
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. branch — a division
  24. key — in music

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