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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: bound · pitch · fork · cap · pass · file · safe · sharp

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. file — a tool
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. file — a line of people
  6. bound — obliged
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a hat
  9. pitch — completely
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — clever
  12. file — a document
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. fork — in a road
  17. bound — tied together
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bound — certain
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. cap — a lid
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. fork — a garden tool

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