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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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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. current — happening now
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. squash — to crush
  6. pitch — completely
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. branch — a division
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. last — finally
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. last — to go on
  15. wake — a trail
  16. current — electric
  17. last — final
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. squash — the sport
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. current — of water
  22. bark — to shout
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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