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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: bound · racket · bear · pitch · rock · foot · race · wound

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. rock — a stone
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bear — the animal
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rock — music
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bear — the animal
  12. foot — a measure
  13. pitch — completely
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bound — tied together
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. race — a contest
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. race — humankind
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. race — the arms race

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