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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.

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: ground · hide · safe · firm · pitch · bark · game · toast

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bark — to shout
  7. toast — bread
  8. ground — the earth
  9. firm — steady
  10. ground — a position
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. firm — decided
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. game — a match
  20. game — wild animals
  21. ground — crushed
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pitch — completely
  24. firm — a company

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