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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 · nail · cap · track · bank · mug · pitcher · racket

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — to rob
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bank — for money
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mug — a face
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bank — for money
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bank — of a river
  13. band — a ring
  14. track — a path
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. band — a music group
  18. track — a song
  19. cap — a lid
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. cap — a hat

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