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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: toast · staff · net · pitch · present · key · shower · bowl

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. staff — a stick
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. present — a gift
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. present — there
  8. shower — rain
  9. net — for catching
  10. shower — to wash
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pitch — completely
  14. net — after costs
  15. key — the most important part
  16. net — in sport
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. staff — employees
  20. toast — bread
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. key — in music
  23. staff — employees
  24. bowl — a football final

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