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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: pitch · swing · deal · safe · kick · fork · current · mate

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. current — electric
  3. swing — music
  4. kick — in football
  5. mate — a partner
  6. deal — to handle
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. current — happening now
  11. fork — in a road
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. mate — a friend
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. pitch — completely
  18. current — of water
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mate — to breed
  21. swing — in golf
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. safe — out of danger

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