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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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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stand — to bear
  3. drill — army training
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pop — to visit
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. pitch — completely
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. drill — the tool
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pop — music
  17. branch — a division
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. pop — soda
  23. drill — a practice
  24. stand — for spectators

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