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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: wound · rush · safe · pop · pitch · fork · toast · racket

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. toast — bread
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. pop — soda
  17. fork — in a road
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pop — music
  20. wound — an injury
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. pop — to visit
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rush — hurry

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