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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. branch — a division
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pitch — completely
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. suit — to fit
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. shower — to wash
  24. shower — rain

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