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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.

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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 · cabinet · degree · bay · lean · nail · last · pitch

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. last — finally
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. lean — thin
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — completely
  12. last — to go on
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. degree — from a university
  16. degree — temperature
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. degree — an amount
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. last — final

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