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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 120 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: fork · press · bank · ground · pitch · bound · band · rock

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. fork — in a road
  3. ground — a position
  4. bank — for money
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — to push
  7. band — a ring
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bank — for money
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bound — obliged
  15. ground — the earth
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a music group
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bound — certain
  23. bank — of a river
  24. pitch — completely

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