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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: arm · key · pitcher · suit · hide · field · pass · fan

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. field — for sport
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. key — for a lock
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. suit — in cards
  11. field — a subject
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. pass — a permit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. field — farmland
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. key — the most important part
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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