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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 · rush · band · bore · fine · mine · safe

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. rush — hurry
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. mine — for digging
  10. band — a ring
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — all right
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. craft — boats
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. band — a music group
  20. craft — a skill
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bore — to tire
  24. rush — a thrill

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