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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 124 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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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: rock · jam · tube · ground · safe · pitch · firm · drill

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — a company
  4. tube — the underground
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. drill — a practice
  7. pitch — completely
  8. rock — music
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. drill — the tool
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. ground — the earth
  18. firm — steady
  19. drill — army training
  20. ground — crushed
  21. rock — a stone
  22. tube — a container
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  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