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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. file — a document
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. chest — of your body
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — size or range
  7. chest — of your body
  8. suit — in cards
  9. toast — bread
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. wake — a trail
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. scale — in music
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. file — a tool
  21. chest — a box
  22. file — a line of people
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. wake — before a funeral

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