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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pass — a permit
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pitch — completely
  7. branch — a division
  8. tube — a container
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. tube — the underground
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. calf — of the leg

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