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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 · date · suit · foot · wound · ruler · chair

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. wound — an injury
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. chair — a leader
  9. pitch — completely
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. wound — an injury
  14. date — the fruit
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. foot — a measure
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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