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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.

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
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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: sharp · safe · craft · calf · wind · prune · press · pitch

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. pitch — completely
  9. sharp — clever
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. wind — moving air
  12. prune — to trim
  13. press — to push
  14. press — newspapers
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. press — a publisher
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. wind — moving air
  22. craft — boats
  23. prune — to trim
  24. calf — a young animal

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