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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: clip · pitch · safe · mug · nail · wake · suit · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. clip — to cut
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. mug — a cup
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wake — a trail
  8. rush — hurry
  9. mug — a face
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. suit — clothes
  15. clip — a video
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pitch — completely
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. clip — for paper
  21. mug — to rob
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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