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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: perch · nail · cabinet · safe · patient · pitch · spring · pop

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. spring — of water
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. spring — the season
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. perch — the fish
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. pitch — completely
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. pop — music
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. spring — a coil

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