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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pitcher · key · pitch · spring · bear · mark · hide · lean

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. key — for a lock
  5. mark — a trace
  6. spring — a coil
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. spring — of water
  12. bear — the animal
  13. key — in music
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. lean — thin
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — completely
  19. key — the most important part
  20. lean — to bend
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. spring — the season
  24. hide — to keep secret

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