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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wind · pitch · arm · bound · net · leaves · bear · club

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. club — a group
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bear — the animal
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. club — for dancing
  10. wind — moving air
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. club — for golf
  13. bound — tied together
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bound — certain
  17. net — for catching
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. net — in sport
  22. bound — obliged
  23. wind — moving air
  24. net — after costs

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