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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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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: pit · key · wound · pitch · squash · roll · bowl · pound

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. key — in music
  3. pound — a weight
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. wound — an injury
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. roll — a cake
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. wound — an injury
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. roll — a list
  16. squash — the sport
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. squash — to crush
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — for a lock

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