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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 120 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: pitch · pit · cell · nail · face · lean · rock · bound

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cell — a phone
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cell — in biology
  10. pit — in a race
  11. rock — music
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — obliged
  14. face — to point toward
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. rock — a stone
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. face — to confront
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. face — part of the head
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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