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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rock · pitch · bound · wind · scale · racket · hide · rest

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. rest — a break
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. scale — in music
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. rock — music
  9. scale — size or range
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rock — a stone
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bound — certain
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bound — tied together
  22. wind — moving air
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bound — obliged

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