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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · mark · lean · file · spell · staff · pitch · kid

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a grade
  4. staff — a stick
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. kid — child
  7. mark — a trace
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — thin
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. file — a line of people
  12. lean — to bend
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. spell — letters
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. file — a tool
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pitch — completely
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — a short time
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. kid — to tease
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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