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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. deal — to handle
  3. spring — of water
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. charge — a price
  6. spring — a coil
  7. drill — the tool
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. ball — a great time
  11. prune — to trim
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. pitch — completely
  14. drill — army training
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. charge — electricity
  17. ball — a dance
  18. key — the most important part
  19. charge — in control
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. drill — a practice
  22. spring — the season
  23. key — in music
  24. prune — to trim

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