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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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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 · pitch · stand · present · mark · mate · calf · chest

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. mate — a partner
  7. present — a gift
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. chest — of your body
  14. mate — to breed
  15. stand — to bear
  16. mark — a grade
  17. pitch — completely
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mate — a friend
  21. chest — of your body
  22. mark — a trace
  23. chest — a box
  24. present — the time now

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