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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. suit — in cards
  6. race — humankind
  7. cue — for pool
  8. suit — to fit
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. race — the arms race
  11. suit — clothes
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cue — a signal
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. cue — a hint
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pitch — completely
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. race — a contest
  24. leaves — of a tree

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