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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: pitcher · lean · pitch · current · rock · pop · file · safe

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. lean — thin
  4. current — electric
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. rock — a stone
  7. current — happening now
  8. file — a line of people
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pop — music
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. current — of water
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — to bend
  17. file — a document
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. file — a tool
  20. pop — soda
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rock — music
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitcher — a jug

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