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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 116 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: cap · bowl · present · key · pitch · can · rush · bat

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. cap — of ice
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. key — in music
  5. present — the time now
  6. can — a tin
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. can — a tin
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — a lid
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bat — the animal
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. present — a gift
  19. rush — hurry
  20. key — the most important part
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. pitch — completely
  24. rush — to hurry

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