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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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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: band · cabinet · pitch · press · track · hand · board · ruler

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pitch — completely
  5. press — newspapers
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. track — to keep track
  10. hand — in cards
  11. band — a ring
  12. board — to get on
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. track — a path
  15. band — a music group
  16. press — to push
  17. hand — help
  18. press — a publisher
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. board — a committee
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. track — a song

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