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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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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. net — for catching
  7. branch — a division
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — to rob
  15. bark — to shout
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. pitch — completely
  19. mug — a cup
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. net — after costs
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rest — a break

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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