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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 · mouse · saw · suit · roll · present · lie · key

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. key — in music
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. present — a gift
  5. suit — in cards
  6. roll — a list
  7. key — for a lock
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pitch — completely
  10. roll — a cake
  11. suit — to fit
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. present — the time now
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. suit — clothes
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. present — there
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. key — the most important part

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