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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: pitch · file · leaves · key · roll · field · mouse · bore

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bore — to drill
  4. field — for sport
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. file — a tool
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. field — farmland
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. roll — a list
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. file — a line of people
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. key — for a lock
  17. roll — a cake
  18. field — a subject
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. file — a document
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. bore — to tire
  23. key — the most important part
  24. leaves — to go away

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