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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 · fine · suit · pitch · court · pound · stem · lean

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pitch — completely
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. suit — to fit
  6. court — for sport
  7. suit — clothes
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. court — of a king
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pound — a weight
  17. fine — high quality
  18. stem — to come from
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. lean — to bend
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. court — of law
  24. suit — in cards

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