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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: cell · prune · mark · nail · pitch · swing · key · fine

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. cell — a phone
  3. cell — in biology
  4. swing — music
  5. fine — all right
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. prune — to trim
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mark — a trace
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. key — in music
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. mark — a grade
  19. key — for a lock
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. fine — high quality
  22. key — the most important part
  23. prune — to trim
  24. swing — in 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