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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: leaves · rush · race · branch · stick · mate · pitch · board

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. race — humankind
  3. branch — a division
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — to get on
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pitch — completely
  11. race — a contest
  12. mate — a friend
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rush — hurry
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. race — the arms race
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — to breed

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