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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: track · race · capital · pitch · lash · mouse · bay · key

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. capital — money
  4. track — to keep track
  5. race — humankind
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. track — a song
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. race — the arms race
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. track — a path
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. key — in music
  18. race — a contest
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. capital — a city
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bay — a horse colour

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