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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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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: cabinet · wave · safe · pitch · last · sharp

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. last — finally
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. last — to go on
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. pitch — completely
  15. sharp — clever
  16. last — final
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pitch — a sales talk

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