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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: cabinet · fan · track · ground · wave · kick · key · pitch

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. track — a path
  6. ground — the earth
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ground — crushed
  10. track — a song
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. key — in music
  18. ground — a position
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. kick — in football
  21. pitch — completely
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. track — to keep track
  24. key — for a lock

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