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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: safe · fine · pitch · nail · field · press · bore · saw

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. fine — all right
  3. pitch — completely
  4. field — farmland
  5. saw — the tool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. press — a publisher
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. field — for sport
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. press — to push
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bore — to drill
  17. press — newspapers
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — high quality
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. field — a subject
  24. bore — to tire

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