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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. last — to go on
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. saw — the tool
  9. firm — steady
  10. present — there
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — a match
  14. present — the time now
  15. bass — low music
  16. firm — a company
  17. saw — the tool
  18. present — a gift
  19. last — final
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. firm — decided
  23. last — finally
  24. pitch — completely

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