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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mug · pitch · racket · bat · ruler · wave · bound · sharp

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bound — obliged
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. mug — to rob
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. sharp — clever
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. pitch — completely
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. mug — a cup
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bound — certain
  21. mug — a face
  22. bound — tied together
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. racket — a loud noise

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