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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: branch · pitch · bound · temple · bass · kick · pit · band

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bound — tied together
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. pitch — completely
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — certain
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. band — a ring
  11. pit — a hole
  12. kick — in football
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bass — low music
  18. band — a music group
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. branch — a division
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. pit — in a race

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