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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.

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: wake · march · firm · pitch · degree · key · present · bound

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bound — tied together
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. firm — a company
  7. present — there
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — the time now
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — certain
  15. pitch — completely
  16. key — the most important part
  17. firm — steady
  18. degree — an amount
  19. march — the month
  20. degree — from a university
  21. firm — decided
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. degree — temperature
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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