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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 120 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: staff · deal · pit · tube · ground · kick · key · race

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — employees
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. key — in music
  6. tube — a container
  7. race — humankind
  8. key — for a lock
  9. tube — the underground
  10. pit — a hole
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — crushed
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. deal — to handle
  15. race — a contest
  16. staff — a stick
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — in football
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. ground — the earth
  22. race — the arms race
  23. key — the most important part
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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