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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: track · ruler · row · mine · bound · pitch · coach · rash

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. track — to keep track
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. pitch — completely
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rash — hasty
  9. row — to paddle
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. mine — for digging
  12. track — a path
  13. bound — certain
  14. row — a line
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bound — obliged
  17. track — a song
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rash — a series
  20. bound — tied together
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. coach — a trainer

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