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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: pound · pit · wake · rock · safe · ruler · fork · pitch

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. rock — music
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. wake — a trail
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pitch — completely
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — in a race
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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