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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · staff · branch · bay · pitch · chip

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. staff — employees
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. chip — for betting
  7. pitch — completely
  8. staff — a stick
  9. branch — a division
  10. chip — to eat
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. staff — employees
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with

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