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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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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: race · temple · pitch · mark · bound · toast · coach · chair

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — tied together
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. mark — a grade
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. chair — a leader
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. toast — bread
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bound — certain
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. race — humankind
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. race — a contest
  24. temple — side of the head

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