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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: tear · board · pound · chest · safe · pitch · staff · mate

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. tear — from crying
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. staff — a stick
  8. mate — to breed
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. chest — of your body
  14. staff — employees
  15. tear — to rip
  16. staff — employees
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. chest — a box
  19. mate — a friend
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pound — a weight
  22. mate — a partner
  23. tear — from crying
  24. chest — of your body

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