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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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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: chest · nail · pitch · dip · safe · suit · pit · plane

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. dip — to sink
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — a box
  7. plane — a tool
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pit — in a race
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — in cards
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pit — a hole

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