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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: firm · pitch · key · bear · lean · tear · fine · pitcher

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. fine — all right
  6. bear — the animal
  7. tear — to rip
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bear — the animal
  12. firm — decided
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. tear — from crying
  15. fine — high quality
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitch — completely
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — thin
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. key — in music
  24. tear — from crying

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