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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — to breed
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bank — of a river
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. mate — a friend
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bulb — for light
  14. scale — size or range
  15. snap — to click
  16. charge — a price
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — for money
  21. charge — in control
  22. branch — a division
  23. charge — electricity
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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