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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · scale · tube · mine · cue · date · pitch · file

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. file — a line of people
  3. tube — a container
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. file — a document
  6. scale — in music
  7. date — the fruit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mine — for digging
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. pitch — completely
  13. tube — the underground
  14. scale — size or range
  15. cue — for pool
  16. file — a tool
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. cue — a hint
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. tube — in a tire

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