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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.

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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: pitch · bound · safe · key · mate · rush · band · object

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. object — an aim
  3. bound — tied together
  4. rush — hurry
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. bound — obliged
  8. object — to protest
  9. bound — certain
  10. band — a music group
  11. pitch — completely
  12. band — a ring
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. mate — to breed
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — in music
  17. mate — a partner
  18. object — a thing
  19. mate — a friend
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. key — for a lock
  24. pitch — a sports field

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