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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: kick · pitch · safe · key · stand · bass · prune · pit

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. key — the most important part
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. stand — to bear
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. key — in music
  13. prune — to trim
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bass — the fish
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bass — low music
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — in a race
  23. kick — in football
  24. stand — on your feet

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