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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: present · pit · plane · foot · key · track · deal · pitch

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. pitch — completely
  3. track — a song
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. present — the time now
  6. track — to keep track
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. foot — a measure
  11. plane — a tool
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pit — in a race
  15. present — a gift
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. deal — to handle
  18. pit — a hole
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. key — for a lock
  22. present — there
  23. key — in music
  24. track — a path

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