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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: bowl · game · safe · bat · pitch · vault · mug · sharp

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. mug — a cup
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pitch — completely
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. game — wild animals
  8. game — a match
  9. sharp — clever
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. vault — a safe
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. mug — a face
  21. bat — the animal
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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