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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.

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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: club · kid · deal · firm · can · board · pitch · key

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. key — in music
  4. firm — a company
  5. kid — to tease
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. club — a group
  12. firm — decided
  13. deal — to handle
  14. can — a tin
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. can — a tin
  17. board — to get on
  18. club — for dancing
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. firm — steady
  22. board — a committee
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. club — for golf

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