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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: pitch · band · press · wake · lie · bound · saw · pass

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. wake — a trail
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. band — a ring
  5. bound — obliged
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bound — tied together
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. press — to push
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. band — a music group
  18. lie — to recline
  19. saw — the tool
  20. press — a publisher
  21. pass — a permit
  22. press — newspapers
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. wake — before a funeral

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