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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: saw · pit · pitch · bound · rock · bass · chair · season

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bass — the fish
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bound — tied together
  5. pit — in a race
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. chair — a leader
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. season — of the year
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — music
  17. bass — low music
  18. pit — a hole
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bound — obliged
  24. season — in sport

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