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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: temple · pitch · can · sharp · fall · toast · key · net

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. net — after costs
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. fall — to drop
  6. toast — bread
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. can — a tin
  11. fall — the season
  12. can — to be able to
  13. key — for a lock
  14. net — for catching
  15. pitch — completely
  16. key — in music
  17. net — in sport
  18. key — the most important part
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. can — a tin
  21. fall — to drop
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. toast — the most admired

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