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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.

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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: field · pitch · can · tube · fine · craft · mug · safe

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  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. can — to be able to
  2. tube — the underground
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. mug — a cup
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. field — for sport
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. craft — a skill
  11. can — a tin
  12. fine — high quality
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. can — a tin
  17. mug — a face
  18. craft — boats
  19. tube — a container
  20. mug — to rob
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. field — a subject
  23. field — farmland
  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