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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 116 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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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: staff · ball · chip · mate · fan · key · cell · pitch

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. key — in music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. staff — a stick
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. mate — a partner
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pitch — completely
  12. ball — a dance
  13. chip — for betting
  14. cell — in biology
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. key — for a lock
  17. staff — employees
  18. chip — to eat
  19. staff — employees
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mate — to breed
  22. cell — a phone
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. ball — a great time

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