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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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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: pitch · stick · rock · bay · file · safe · toast · suit

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. rock — music
  3. suit — in cards
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. file — a line of people
  10. toast — bread
  11. file — a document
  12. suit — to fit
  13. file — a tool
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. pitch — completely
  22. rock — a stone
  23. suit — clothes
  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