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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.

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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: cap · band · pass · stem · squash · bank · pitcher · pound

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bank — for money
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. cap — a lid
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. squash — the sport
  9. stem — to come from
  10. band — a ring
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bank — of a river
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. pound — a weight
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pass — a permit
  20. band — a music group
  21. bank — for money
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. squash — to crush

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