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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 116 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: pitch · object · pop · nail · ground · club · race · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. object — an aim
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. race — the arms race
  5. club — for golf
  6. race — humankind
  7. pop — music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pop — to visit
  12. ground — crushed
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ground — the earth
  15. object — a thing
  16. club — a group
  17. club — for dancing
  18. pop — soda
  19. race — a contest
  20. ground — a position
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. object — to protest
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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