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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: safe · band · date · clip · pit · pitch · swing · charge

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. clip — to cut
  3. charge — a price
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. charge — in control
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. swing — to play on
  8. band — a ring
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. swing — in golf
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. band — a music group
  13. swing — music
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. clip — for paper
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pit — a hole
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. clip — a video
  24. pitch — completely

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