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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: vault · net · hide · safe · patient · file · kick · pitch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. net — in sport
  3. pitch — completely
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. vault — a safe
  12. net — after costs
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. file — a tool
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. net — for catching
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. kick — in football
  23. file — a document
  24. file — a line of people

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