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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: branch · suit · roll · bulb · squash · deal · pitch · craft

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. branch — a division
  4. roll — a list
  5. roll — a cake
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — boats
  8. bulb — for light
  9. squash — to crush
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. suit — in cards
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pitch — completely
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. suit — to fit

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