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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: can · chest · suit · pitch · bat · key · pass · swing

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. pitch — completely
  3. key — in music
  4. can — a tin
  5. swing — to play on
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. suit — clothes
  12. chest — of your body
  13. swing — music
  14. chest — of your body
  15. key — for a lock
  16. swing — in golf
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. suit — to fit
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bat — in an idiom

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