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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: object · pit · bound · dip · pitcher · fall · board · season

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. fall — to drop
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. object — an aim
  7. fall — the season
  8. bound — obliged
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. board — to get on
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bound — certain
  15. board — a committee
  16. object — to protest
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. dip — to sink
  19. season — of the year
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bound — tied together
  22. fall — to drop
  23. object — a thing
  24. board — a flat piece

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