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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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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: fine · pitch · tube · current · pop · deal · safe · row

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. tube — the underground
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pop — music
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. pop — soda
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fine — high quality
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. deal — to handle
  14. row — a line
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. tube — a container
  17. current — electric
  18. fine — all right
  19. pop — to visit
  20. current — of water
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. row — to paddle
  24. pitch — completely

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