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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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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 · racket · ball · deal · ruler · key · bay · stand

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. ball — a great time
  3. key — in music
  4. pitch — completely
  5. ball — a dance
  6. stand — to bear
  7. key — for a lock
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. deal — to handle

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