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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. fall — to drop
  4. present — there
  5. fall — to drop
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. fall — the season
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ground — the earth
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — the time now
  13. ground — crushed
  14. branch — a division
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. ground — a position
  17. pitch — completely
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. racket — for tennis

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