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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: band · staff · safe · pitch · saw · fine · suit · wound

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. band — a ring
  4. fine — high quality
  5. saw — the tool
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. suit — to fit
  9. staff — employees
  10. fine — all right
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. staff — employees
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wound — an injury
  16. band — a music group
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitch — completely
  19. suit — clothes
  20. saw — the tool
  21. staff — a stick
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wound — an injury

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