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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pitch — completely
  5. row — to paddle
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. branch — a division
  9. season — of the year
  10. row — a line
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. rash — a series
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. season — in sport
  18. chair — a leader
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. rash — hasty

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