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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: content · safe · pitch · deal · object · bound · board · wound

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — to protest
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bound — tied together
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. deal — to handle
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. board — a committee
  14. bound — obliged
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. pitch — completely
  17. board — to get on
  18. bound — certain
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. content — the amount
  21. wound — an injury
  22. object — an aim
  23. content — happy
  24. safe — out of danger

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