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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. present — the time now
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — completely
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. track — a song
  11. present — there
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. date — the fruit
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. track — a path
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. present — a gift
  20. hand — in cards
  21. track — to keep track
  22. hand — help
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. straw — dry grass

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