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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: band · coach · can · pitch · current · mate · bank · bat

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. band — a music group
  3. current — of water
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. current — electric
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. current — happening now
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. band — a ring
  16. pitch — completely
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bank — for money
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. mate — a partner

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