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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 · toast · march · safe · rest · lean · bulb · snap

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. march — music
  7. toast — bread
  8. lean — to bend
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bulb — for light
  11. snap — to click
  12. march — the month
  13. pitch — completely
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. lean — thin
  19. march — the month
  20. rest — a break
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rest — what's left
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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