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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: mark · row · track · pitch · suit · bound · swing · shower

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. shower — to wash
  4. track — a path
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bound — tied together
  7. row — to paddle
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. track — a song
  11. pitch — completely
  12. suit — to fit
  13. shower — rain
  14. track — to keep track
  15. row — a line
  16. bound — certain
  17. swing — music
  18. bound — obliged
  19. suit — in cards
  20. swing — to play on
  21. mark — a grade
  22. swing — in golf
  23. suit — clothes
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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