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

Word bank: bound · mark · jam · pitch · wind · mouse · saw · rest

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pitch — completely
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — moving air
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bound — tied together
  13. saw — the tool
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. rest — a break
  16. mark — a grade
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — obliged
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. rest — what's left

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