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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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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: present · march · lie · key · rock · cue · row · pitch

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. march — the month
  5. march — the month
  6. key — the most important part
  7. present — a gift
  8. lie — to recline
  9. key — for a lock
  10. present — there
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rock — a stone
  13. pitch — completely
  14. key — in music
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. row — a line
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. present — the time now
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. cue — a hint
  24. march — music

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