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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 · fall · branch · fine · hide · face · wake · stem

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. fall — to drop
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. face — to confront
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. face — to point toward
  12. fine — high quality
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stem — to come from
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — completely
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. branch — a division
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fine — all right
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. face — part of the head

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