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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 116 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 works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. branch — a division
  3. suit — in cards
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. firm — steady
  10. mate — a friend
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. mate — to breed
  15. fork — in a road
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mate — a partner
  19. firm — decided
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. saw — the tool
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. pitch — completely

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