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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: pitch · kick · mouse · cap · key · bay · pitcher · sharp

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. cap — a hat
  4. key — the most important part
  5. sharp — clever
  6. key — in music
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. cap — of ice
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. cap — a lid
  22. key — for a lock
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — in football

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