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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: key · row · pitch · land · can · rock · deal · pop

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  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. land — to come down
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. can — a tin
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. rock — a stone
  6. can — a tin
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pitch — completely
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. row — a line
  11. row — to paddle
  12. key — in music
  13. land — a country
  14. land — ground
  15. rock — music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. pop — soda
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pop — to visit
  22. can — to be able to
  23. pop — music
  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