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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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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: bound · pitch · bear · foot · key · board

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bound — obliged
  6. board — to get on
  7. bound — certain
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bear — the animal
  10. key — for a lock
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — a committee
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — in music
  17. bound — tied together
  18. pitch — completely

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