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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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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: safe · bound · last · firm · bowl · wake · pitch · cue

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. last — finally
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — decided
  5. last — to go on
  6. wake — a trail
  7. cue — a hint
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. last — final
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — obliged
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. cue — for pool
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. cue — a signal
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. firm — steady
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bowl — to roll

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