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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 124 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · ground · cell · key · craft · pitch

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. craft — boats
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. craft — a skill
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. key — in music
  10. saw — the tool
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. key — the most important part
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cell — in biology
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — a position
  17. key — for a lock
  18. saw — the tool

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