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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: ruler · pitch · board · content · roll · bound · craft · snap

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bound — certain
  3. board — to get on
  4. roll — a cake
  5. roll — a list
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. snap — to click
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bound — tied together
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bound — obliged
  15. craft — a skill
  16. content — the amount
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. content — happy
  23. craft — boats
  24. board — a committee

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