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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: can · pitch · wound · kick · pass · shower · safe · spell

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pass — a permit
  3. shower — to wash
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. wound — an injury
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wound — an injury
  8. spell — a short time
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. shower — rain
  13. spell — letters
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. kick — in football
  16. can — a tin
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — completely
  19. can — a tin
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. spell — magic
  24. can — to be able to

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