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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: lie · key · band · toast · pitch · content · rest · nail

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pitch — completely
  4. rest — what's left
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. band — a music group
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. content — the amount
  9. content — happy
  10. key — the most important part
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. lie — to recline
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. toast — bread
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. rest — a break
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. key — in music
  20. band — a ring
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rest — what's left
  23. key — for a lock
  24. nail — for a hammer

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