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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 120 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: pitcher · mug · bank · saw · band · pop · pitch · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. pitch — completely
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. band — a ring
  8. mug — to rob
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. mug — a cup
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pop — music
  16. mug — a face
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pop — soda
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pop — to visit
  21. band — a music group
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. pitcher — a jug

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