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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: branch · spell · tube · mug · perch · pound · bass · pitch

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. mug — a face
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. mug — a cup
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. tube — a container
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bass — low music
  11. branch — a division
  12. perch — the fish
  13. spell — a short time
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. tube — the underground
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. spell — magic
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pound — a weight
  23. mug — to rob
  24. tube — in a tire

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