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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: bound · pitch · stand · stick · rush · ground · lie · leaves

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. ground — a position
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. stand — to bear
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. rush — hurry
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bound — certain
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bound — tied together
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ground — the earth
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bound — obliged
  20. ground — crushed
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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