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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: pass · toast · ground · band · bank · board · roll · pitch

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. ground — a position
  4. roll — a cake
  5. board — a committee
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. toast — bread
  8. bank — of a river
  9. ground — crushed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pass — a permit
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a music group
  15. bank — for money
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. roll — a list
  20. board — to get on
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. ground — the earth
  23. bank — for money
  24. board — a flat piece

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