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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: track · pitch · can · bound · lean · rest · staff · racket

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bound — certain
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. staff — employees
  5. pitch — completely
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rest — what's left
  8. can — a tin
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. staff — employees
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. can — to be able to
  14. track — a song
  15. bound — obliged
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. can — a tin
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. rest — what's left
  20. staff — a stick
  21. track — a path
  22. bound — tied together
  23. rest — a break
  24. lean — to bend

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