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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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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: racket · bark · fine · band · safe · stick · pitch · pound

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. band — a music group
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. pound — a weight
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. fine — all right
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. band — a ring
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bark — to shout
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fine — high quality

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