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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: foot · key · pitch · chest · race · mark · rock · suit

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. suit — to fit
  3. race — the arms race
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. foot — a measure
  7. mark — a trace
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. race — a contest
  10. rock — a stone
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. chest — a box
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. suit — in cards
  16. chest — of your body
  17. key — for a lock
  18. chest — of your body
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. race — humankind
  21. key — the most important part
  22. pitch — completely
  23. rock — music
  24. key — in music

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