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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. pitch — completely
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. chip — for betting
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pop — to visit
  11. lean — thin
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pop — soda
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. saw — the tool
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. chip — to eat
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pop — music
  24. calf — of the 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