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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bank — for money
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. suit — to fit
  10. scale — in music
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. branch — a division
  23. plane — a tool
  24. kick — in football

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