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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: pass · bat · pitch · jam · perch · safe · vault · wave

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pitch — completely
  8. vault — a safe
  9. perch — the fish
  10. pass — a permit
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bat — the animal
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. wave — of the sea

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