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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: pass · stand · ball · saw · bank · key · sharp · pitch

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pitch — completely
  5. stand — to bear
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bank — of a river
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bank — for money
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bank — for money
  18. key — the most important part
  19. ball — a great time
  20. key — in music
  21. sharp — clever
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a round shape

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