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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
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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: squash · pitch · file · fan · safe · foot · spring · nail

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. spring — the season
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — the sport
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. file — a document
  9. file — a line of people
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. file — a tool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. squash — to crush
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. spring — of water
  21. foot — a measure
  22. spring — a coil
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. fan — to cool the air

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