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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 120 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: safe · wake · pitch · root · key · firm · hand · pass

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. root — of a word
  5. firm — steady
  6. hand — in cards
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pitch — completely
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — the cause
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. key — in music
  15. firm — a company
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. firm — decided
  19. wake — a trail
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. pass — a permit
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. hand — help

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