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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 · bank · ball · hide · cue · cabinet · fork · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bank — for money
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pitch — completely
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — in music
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fork — in a road
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bank — of a river
  17. cue — a signal
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. ball — a dance
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bank — for money

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