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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: net · foot · pitcher · season · band · rock · bank · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. band — a music group
  4. season — in sport
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bank — for money
  9. net — in sport
  10. band — a ring
  11. net — after costs
  12. bank — for money
  13. board — a committee
  14. rock — music
  15. season — of the year
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. net — for catching
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rock — a stone
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. foot — a measure

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