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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: present · drill · pitcher · squash · safe · nail · swing · pass

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. squash — the sport
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. swing — music
  8. pass — a permit
  9. present — a gift
  10. swing — to play on
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. present — there
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. drill — the tool
  15. squash — to crush
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. drill — army training
  18. drill — a practice
  19. present — the time now
  20. swing — in golf
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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