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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — certain
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. chest — a box
  8. chest — of your body
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pitch — completely
  13. mark — a grade
  14. chest — of your body
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. mark — a trace

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