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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: pitch · board · straw · fall · bowl · ruler · leaves · content

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. fall — to drop
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. content — the amount
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. board — to get on
  14. fall — to drop
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. content — happy
  18. pitch — completely
  19. board — a committee
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. ruler — a monarch

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