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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: pitch · rest · object · spring · key · game · date · leaves

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. object — a thing
  3. rest — what's left
  4. key — in music
  5. object — to protest
  6. key — the most important part
  7. game — a match
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. date — the fruit
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. spring — a coil
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. game — wild animals
  20. spring — the season
  21. object — an aim
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. rest — a break
  24. spring — of water

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