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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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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: wave · bay · root · bound · swing · branch · pitch · jam

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. root — the cause
  3. bound — certain
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. swing — music
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. swing — to play on
  13. root — of a word
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. branch — a division
  21. bound — obliged
  22. root — of a plant
  23. swing — in golf
  24. branch — of a bank

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