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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 120 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: pitch · squash · current · bound · rock · deal · board · stem

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. deal — to handle
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. current — happening now
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. squash — the sport
  12. board — to get on
  13. current — of water
  14. current — electric
  15. pitch — completely
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — a stone
  18. stem — to come from
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bound — obliged
  21. rock — music
  22. bound — certain
  23. board — a committee
  24. bound — tied together

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