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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bore — to tire
  7. pitch — completely
  8. branch — a division
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. firm — decided
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. firm — a company
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. perch — the fish
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bore — to drill
  21. ground — a position
  22. firm — steady
  23. ground — crushed
  24. board — to get on

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