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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.

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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 · dip · net · file · foot · patient · ball · pitch

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. net — after costs
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. pitch — completely
  7. net — for catching
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. ball — a dance
  11. foot — a measure
  12. ball — a great time
  13. file — a tool
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. file — a line of people
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. file — a document
  23. net — in sport
  24. branch — a division

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