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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: saw · press · net · pound · coach · pit · band · craft

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. band — a ring
  3. pound — a weight
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. press — newspapers
  6. pit — a hole
  7. net — for catching
  8. craft — boats
  9. saw — the tool
  10. net — after costs
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pit — in a race
  19. craft — a skill
  20. press — to push
  21. net — in sport
  22. press — a publisher
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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