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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · fine · pass · rush · safe · mark · game · pitch

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. spell — a short time
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pass — a permit
  5. game — a match
  6. spell — letters
  7. mark — a trace
  8. rush — hurry
  9. spell — magic
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. fine — all right
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. game — wild animals
  15. fine — high quality
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. safe — out of danger

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