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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: land · content · lash · net · toast · ruler · pitch · safe

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pitch — completely
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. land — to come down
  9. net — after costs
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. content — happy
  12. net — in sport
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. net — for catching
  16. toast — bread
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. land — a country
  23. content — the amount
  24. land — ground

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