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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: bore · bound · safe · face · pitch · mate · coach · row

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. face — to confront
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. mate — a partner
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bound — tied together
  11. row — a line
  12. mate — a friend
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bore — to drill
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. pitch — completely
  18. face — part of the head
  19. row — to paddle
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bound — certain
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. face — to point toward

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