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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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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: snap · spell · bark · pitch · race · suit · spring · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. race — humankind
  5. spring — of water
  6. key — the most important part
  7. spell — magic
  8. race — the arms race
  9. snap — to click
  10. spell — letters
  11. bark — to shout
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pitch — completely
  14. suit — clothes
  15. key — in music
  16. spell — a short time
  17. race — a contest
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. spring — the season
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. spring — a coil

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