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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: kid · bound · band · pitch · present · safe · deal · face

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pitch — completely
  6. kid — to tease
  7. present — there
  8. band — a music group
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. face — part of the head
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. kid — child
  18. face — to confront
  19. present — the time now
  20. band — a ring
  21. bound — certain
  22. face — to point toward
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bound — tied together

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