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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 · pitch · staff · lean · deal · roll · fine · tear

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. tear — to rip
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. roll — a cake
  6. tear — from crying
  7. fine — all right
  8. staff — a stick
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. pitch — completely
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. fine — high quality
  17. staff — employees
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. tear — from crying
  20. staff — employees
  21. deal — to handle
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. roll — a list
  24. roll — on a roll

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