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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.

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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: pitch · craft · face · squash · safe · leaves · hand · saw

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. saw — the tool
  9. hand — help
  10. face — to point toward
  11. hand — in cards
  12. squash — the sport
  13. craft — a skill
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. saw — the tool
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. face — part of the head
  19. craft — boats
  20. face — to confront
  21. squash — to crush
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. pitch — completely

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