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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 · file · stick · pitch · can · band · fan · hide

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. band — a music group
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. can — a tin
  6. file — a document
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. can — a tin
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pitch — completely
  13. file — a tool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. band — a ring
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. file — a line of people
  24. safe — out of danger

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