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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: pitcher · band · capital · wave · press · track · file · bound

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. press — newspapers
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. press — to push
  5. band — a ring
  6. file — a tool
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. track — a song
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. track — to keep track
  11. capital — money
  12. press — a publisher
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — certain
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. band — a music group
  20. capital — a city
  21. track — a path
  22. file — a document
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bound — obliged

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