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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: safe · land · pitch · pass · hide · object · face · game

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. land — ground
  3. pass — a permit
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. land — to come down
  7. face — to confront
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. game — wild animals
  12. object — an aim
  13. land — a country
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — to protest
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. face — part of the head
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. game — a match

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