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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 116 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: row · rock · kick · bay · content · safe · pitch · drill

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. content — the amount
  11. drill — the tool
  12. row — a line
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. row — to paddle
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. content — happy
  18. drill — army training
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pitch — completely
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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