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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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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: cap · staff · racket · rest · key · nail · lean · pitch

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. staff — a stick
  3. rest — what's left
  4. key — the most important part
  5. rest — a break
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. key — in music
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. cap — a lid
  11. key — for a lock
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rest — what's left
  14. staff — employees
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pitch — completely
  17. staff — employees
  18. cap — of ice
  19. lean — to bend
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. cap — a hat
  24. racket — for tennis

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