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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: key · toast · cap · date · pitch · mug · bass · pitcher

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bass — the fish
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. cap — of ice
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. key — in music
  14. mug — a cup
  15. toast — bread
  16. mug — to rob
  17. key — the most important part
  18. date — the fruit
  19. pitch — completely
  20. mug — a face
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bass — low music
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitcher — a jug

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