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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: squash · pitch · safe · land · bank · craft

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. squash — to crush
  3. bank — of a river
  4. pitch — completely
  5. land — ground
  6. land — to come down
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. craft — a skill
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bank — for money
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. land — a country
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. craft — boats
  18. safe — a strongbox

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