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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: board · cold · coach · pitch · track · pit · cabinet · key

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. track — a path
  3. pit — in a race
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. board — to get on
  7. key — for a lock
  8. pitch — completely
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cold — an illness
  13. cold — not warm
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. board — a committee
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. pit — a hole
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. key — in music
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. key — the most important part
  24. track — a song

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