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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: court · pit · charge · lie · bass · pitch · rest · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. court — of a king
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bound — tied together
  5. rest — a break
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. charge — in control
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a hole
  13. court — for sport
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. court — of law
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bass — low music
  24. pitch — completely

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