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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wake · temple · branch · sharp · pitch · pass · object · bear

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. sharp — clever
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pitch — completely
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. wake — a trail
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. object — to protest

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