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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: stand · rock · pitch · cap · nail · bank · fine · bound

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bound — tied together
  8. rock — music
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bank — for money
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pitch — completely
  14. rock — a stone
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — certain
  19. cap — a lid
  20. fine — high quality
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. cap — a hat
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bank — for money

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