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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: object · pitch · wound · cell · plane · bay · bound · hide

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. wound — an injury
  6. object — an aim
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cell — a phone
  9. bound — obliged
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bound — certain
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. object — a thing
  15. cell — in biology
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. wound — an injury
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. object — to protest
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. pitch — a sports field

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