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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. row — a line
  8. row — to paddle
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. scale — size or range
  12. saw — the tool
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. pit — in a race
  15. saw — the tool
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. scale — in music
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. pitch — completely
  22. sharp — clever
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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