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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 116 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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rock — a stone
  5. firm — steady
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bound — certain
  8. firm — decided
  9. clip — to cut
  10. rock — music
  11. clip — a video
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. row — to paddle
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rash — a series
  16. firm — a company
  17. bound — tied together
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bound — obliged
  20. rash — hasty
  21. pitch — completely
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. clip — for paper

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