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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: prune · pitcher · ground · pitch · wave · firm · band · bank

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. ground — crushed
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. bank — for money
  8. band — a music group
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. band — a ring
  14. ground — a position
  15. firm — a company
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. firm — steady
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. firm — decided
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. ground — the earth
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wave — with your hand

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