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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: snap · pitch · ruler · bound · bowl · sharp · mark · press

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bound — tied together
  7. mark — a trace
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. press — a publisher
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bound — certain
  21. snap — to click
  22. press — to push
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. ruler — for measuring

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