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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 · bore · tear · hide · charge · last · suit · branch

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. suit — to fit
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — completely
  7. charge — in control
  8. branch — a division
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. last — final
  13. charge — a price
  14. last — finally
  15. tear — to rip
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bore — to drill
  18. charge — electricity
  19. tear — from crying
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. last — to go on
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bore — to 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