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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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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: band · pitch · swing · bay · key · mark · board · fine

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. key — in music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. band — a ring
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. pitch — completely
  14. board — a committee
  15. fine — all right
  16. swing — music
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. band — a music group
  20. board — to get on
  21. key — for a lock
  22. fine — high quality
  23. swing — to play on
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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