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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 116 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: band · pitch · board · bound · bear · suit · content · rule

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. board — to get on
  3. band — a music group
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. band — a ring
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rule — government
  9. bound — certain
  10. suit — in cards
  11. content — the amount
  12. rule — a law
  13. pitch — completely
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. board — a committee
  18. bound — tied together
  19. content — happy
  20. bear — the animal
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — clothes

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