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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 · mine · wave · face

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. face — to point toward
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mine — for digging
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. face — part of the head
  11. face — to confront
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. branch — a division
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. wave — of the sea

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