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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: safe · pop · pitch · hide · tube · stem · board · bear

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pop — to visit
  4. board — a committee
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. board — to get on
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pop — music
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pop — soda
  11. pitch — completely
  12. stem — to come from
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. tube — the underground
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. tube — a container
  22. bear — the animal
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bear — the animal

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