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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: wind · ground · pitch · craft · safe · jam · fork · stand

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wind — moving air
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. ground — crushed
  9. fork — in a road
  10. craft — boats
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — completely
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. ground — the earth
  22. stand — to bear
  23. ground — a position
  24. jam — in traffic

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