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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: mouse · pitch · mate · board · key · straw · sharp · rush

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. key — the most important part
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. key — in music
  11. rush — hurry
  12. board — a committee
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. sharp — clever
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. board — to get on
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mate — to breed
  21. pitch — completely
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — a partner

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