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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bound · track · arm · season · squash · bank · ruler · pitch

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  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. ruler — for measuring
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. track — a song
  4. bound — certain
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bound — obliged
  8. pitch — completely
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — in sport
  12. squash — to crush
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. track — a path
  20. season — of the year
  21. squash — the sport
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. squash — the vegetable
  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