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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: bound · pitch · date · kick · pop · key · jam · fall

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pop — to visit
  3. bound — tied together
  4. date — the fruit
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. key — for a lock
  10. fall — the season
  11. pop — music
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pop — soda
  14. fall — to drop
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. kick — in football
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. fall — to drop
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. key — the most important part
  23. pitch — completely
  24. kick — with a leg

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