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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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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 · safe · cue · race · key · trunk · saw · stand

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. cue — a signal
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. key — the most important part
  5. pitch — completely
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. race — humankind
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. stand — to bear
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. race — a contest
  12. cue — a hint
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. key — in music
  21. saw — the tool
  22. cue — for pool
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stand — on your feet

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