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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: band · pitch · bulb · bank · lean · key · racket · foot

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. band — a music group
  4. band — a ring
  5. pitch — completely
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. key — the most important part
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bank — for money
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bank — for money
  16. lean — thin
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bank — of a river
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — in music
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. foot — the bottom

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