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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · board · tube · racket · net · fine · stick · pitcher

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. tube — the underground
  3. band — a music group
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. net — in sport
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. net — after costs
  10. board — a committee
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. net — for catching
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fine — high quality
  16. band — a ring
  17. tube — a container
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. board — to get on
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. racket — for tennis

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