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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: row · pass · mine · last · safe · pitch · nail · leaves

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. row — a line
  5. last — to go on
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. mine — for digging
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. last — finally
  17. last — final
  18. pitch — completely
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pitch — a sports field

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