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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
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: toast · spell · pitch · safe · field · ball · key · present

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. field — for sport
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. field — a subject
  7. pitch — completely
  8. spell — a short time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. field — farmland
  11. present — there
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a great time
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. present — the time now
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. key — for a lock
  21. toast — bread
  22. spell — letters
  23. present — a gift
  24. spell — magic

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