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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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Word bank
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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: face · wave · pitch · deal · nail · staff · saw · key

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. staff — employees
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. staff — a stick
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. saw — the tool
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — part of the head
  20. key — in music
  21. pitch — completely
  22. face — to point toward
  23. saw — the tool
  24. nail — on a finger

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