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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. branch — a division
  3. game — a match
  4. game — wild animals
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. spell — letters
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. current — electric
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. spell — a short time
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. current — of water
  20. current — happening now
  21. pitch — completely
  22. spell — magic
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. leaves — lets stay

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