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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  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. pitch — a sales talk
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lean — thin
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. lean — to bend
  7. track — a song
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. club — for golf
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. content — happy
  12. track — to keep track
  13. club — for dancing
  14. tube — a container
  15. track — a path
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. content — the amount
  19. club — a group
  20. pit — in a race
  21. tube — the underground
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. tube — in a tire
  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