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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. board — to get on
  3. pitch — completely
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mine — for digging
  7. board — a committee
  8. scale — size or range
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. kid — child
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. kid — to tease
  13. scale — in music
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. pit — in a race
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pass — to spend time

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