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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: fine · net · staff · craft · rock · file · pitch · key

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. file — a document
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. craft — a skill
  5. file — a tool
  6. fine — high quality
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. staff — employees
  9. key — in music
  10. net — for catching
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. file — a line of people
  13. staff — employees
  14. key — for a lock
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. net — in sport
  17. fine — all right
  18. net — after costs
  19. pitch — completely
  20. staff — a stick
  21. rock — a stone
  22. key — the most important part
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. craft — boats

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