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

Word bank: bay · fork · pitcher · safe · pitch · cold

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. cold — not warm
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. cold — an illness
  18. fork — a garden tool

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