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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: mug · track · rush · pitch · bear · fall · bound · wound

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fall — to drop
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. mug — to rob
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. track — a song
  11. bound — obliged
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a path
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bound — tied together
  16. fall — the season
  17. bound — certain
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mug — a face
  23. pitch — completely
  24. rush — a thrill

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