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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: pitch · branch · safe · pass · hide · track

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. track — a path
  9. pitch — completely
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. track — to keep track
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. branch — a division
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. track — a song
  18. hide — to keep secret

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