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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: court · net · leaves · suit · bass · pitch · stand · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bass — low music
  3. suit — to fit
  4. key — for a lock
  5. net — for catching
  6. stand — to bear
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — after costs
  9. pitch — completely
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. court — of a king
  12. suit — in cards
  13. court — of law
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bass — the fish
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. suit — clothes
  24. court — for sport

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