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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: pitch · track · squash · mug · ruler · fall · board · suit

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. suit — clothes
  3. board — to get on
  4. mug — a cup
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mug — to rob
  9. fall — to drop
  10. suit — in cards
  11. track — a path
  12. squash — to crush
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. track — a song
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fall — to drop
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. fall — the season
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. board — a committee
  21. squash — the sport
  22. track — to keep track
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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