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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rock · face · toast · drill · pitch · safe

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. 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. rock — music
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — the tool
  6. face — to point toward
  7. drill — a practice
  8. face — part of the head
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. toast — bread
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pitch — completely
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. face — to confront
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. safe — out of danger

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