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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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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: bay · bound · pitch · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bay — to keep at bay

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