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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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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: fan · pitch · drill · safe · pound · toast · arm · lash

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. toast — bread
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pound — a weight
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. drill — a practice
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pitch — completely
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. fan — a supporter

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