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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. firm — decided
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bat — the animal
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. firm — a company
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. firm — steady
  21. mate — to breed
  22. swing — music
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. mate — a partner

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