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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 120 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: pitch · branch · stand · key · game · current · tear · lie

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. current — happening now
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. key — for a lock
  5. game — wild animals
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. key — in music
  9. pitch — completely
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. current — electric
  14. key — the most important part
  15. lie — to recline
  16. game — a match
  17. tear — from crying
  18. current — of water
  19. stand — to bear
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. tear — to rip

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