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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: bay · content · pitcher · tear · safe · pit · saw · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pit — in a race
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — to rip
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — happy
  24. bay — a horse colour

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