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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: safe · racket · bound · scale · net · chair · pitch · deal

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. bound — certain
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. scale — size or range
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. scale — in music
  10. pitch — completely
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bound — obliged
  16. net — in sport
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. net — for catching
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bound — tied together
  24. net — after costs

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