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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: leaves · staff · pop · pitch · bound · bowl · saw · bat

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bat — the animal
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bound — certain
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. pop — to visit
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. staff — employees
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — soda
  21. bound — tied together
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pitch — completely
  24. bowl — a dish

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