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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: bowl · dip · present · stem · pitch · rash · safe · ground

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rash — hasty
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stem — to come from
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ground — the earth
  12. present — a gift
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. pitch — completely
  15. ground — crushed
  16. present — there
  17. ground — a position
  18. rash — a series
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a football final

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