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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: safe · straw · file · pit · pitch · mate · calf · snap

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to click
  6. file — a tool
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. file — a document
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. mate — to breed
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. file — a line of people
  18. pit — in a race
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mate — a friend
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pitch — completely
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. mate — a partner

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