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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ball · pitcher · key · suit · date · field · rush · fine

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. date — the fruit
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a great time
  7. key — the most important part
  8. field — farmland
  9. suit — in cards
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — for sport
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. key — in music
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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