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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: mug · ball · branch · foot · pitch · roll · capital · firm

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a face
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. roll — a cake
  7. foot — a measure
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. firm — steady
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. branch — a division
  12. pitch — completely
  13. capital — a city
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. capital — money
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. roll — a list
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. firm — decided
  20. mug — a cup
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. ball — a great time
  23. firm — a company
  24. ball — a dance

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