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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 120 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: pitch · lie · bear · safe · field · court · bass · bore

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. field — a subject
  5. court — of law
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pitch — completely
  11. court — of a king
  12. field — farmland
  13. field — for sport
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bass — the fish
  20. court — for sport
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bore — to tire
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bass — low music

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