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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pop — soda
  3. suit — to fit
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bank — for money
  6. band — a music group
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — completely
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a ring
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bank — of a river
  17. pop — to visit
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bank — for money
  20. suit — clothes
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pop — music

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