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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 116 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: perch · bulb · safe · snap · race · pitch · firm · saw

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bulb — for light
  3. firm — steady
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. race — humankind
  9. snap — to click
  10. firm — decided
  11. pitch — completely
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. race — the arms race
  18. saw — the tool
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. firm — a company
  22. race — a contest
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. bulb — for light

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