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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: leaves · pitch · file · lash · bound · deal

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bound — certain
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. file — a document
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bound — tied together
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bound — obliged
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. file — a line of people
  15. file — a tool
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. deal — an agreement

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