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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. key — in music
  3. last — finally
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. bore — to tire
  7. charge — in control
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bank — for money
  10. last — to go on
  11. charge — a price
  12. last — final
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. key — the most important part
  16. pitch — completely
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bank — for money
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bass — low music

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