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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: bear · arm · root · pitch · mate · safe · saw · fall

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fall — to drop
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mate — a friend
  8. root — the cause
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mate — a partner
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mate — to breed
  15. root — of a plant
  16. pitch — completely
  17. root — of a word
  18. saw — the tool
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. fall — the season
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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