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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 116 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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — tied together
  5. swing — music
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. capital — money
  8. bound — obliged
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. capital — a city
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. current — happening now
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. board — to get on
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. board — a committee
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. current — electric
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. current — of water
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — to play on

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