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

Word bank: pitch · bore · file · race · mark · key · ruler · pass

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. key — for a lock
  3. pitch — completely
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. race — a contest
  7. key — in music
  8. race — the arms race
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. race — humankind
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pass — a permit
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bore — to drill
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a line of people
  22. file — a document
  23. mark — a trace
  24. key — the most important part

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