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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.

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: bass · safe · bore · straw · pitch · leaves · spell · board

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bore — to tire
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. board — to get on
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bore — to drill
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bass — low music
  14. board — a committee
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bass — the fish
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — a short time
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. spell — letters
  23. pitch — completely
  24. bore — gave birth

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