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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 · cabinet · pitch · drill · date · nail · foot · court

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. court — of a king
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. drill — the tool
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. drill — army training
  9. date — the fruit
  10. pitch — completely
  11. branch — a division
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. drill — a practice
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. court — for sport
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. court — of law

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