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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: key · mate · mark · ball · perch · bank · craft · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. craft — boats
  7. key — in music
  8. mate — to breed
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bank — for money
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. key — the most important part
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bank — of a river
  16. key — for a lock
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bank — for money
  19. perch — the fish
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mark — a trace
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. mark — a grade

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