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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. key — in music
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a music group
  6. race — a contest
  7. root — the cause
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. board — to get on
  10. ball — a dance
  11. race — humankind
  12. root — of a plant
  13. staff — a stick
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — for a lock
  16. root — of a word
  17. board — a committee
  18. race — the arms race
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. ball — a great time
  21. staff — employees
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. staff — employees
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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