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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. lean — to bend
  3. saw — the tool
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. row — to paddle
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. saw — the tool
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. suit — to fit
  12. lean — thin
  13. row — a line
  14. foot — a measure
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. suit — clothes
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. suit — in cards
  20. branch — a division
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. foot — the bottom

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