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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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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: fork · firm · cue · bank · pitch · band · bowl · net

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. pitch — completely
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bank — of a river
  5. band — a ring
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a hint
  9. firm — a company
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. firm — steady
  12. net — after costs
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. firm — decided
  15. bank — for money
  16. fork — in a road
  17. net — in sport
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bank — for money
  21. band — a music group
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. net — for catching
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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