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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 116 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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. object — a thing
  5. bank — for money
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. hand — in cards
  9. firm — steady
  10. press — to push
  11. bank — of a river
  12. band — a ring
  13. bank — for money
  14. press — newspapers
  15. hand — help
  16. pit — in a race
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — completely
  21. press — a publisher
  22. object — an aim
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. object — to protest

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