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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: lash · ball · present · pitch · fan · branch · mine · cue

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. present — there
  3. mine — for digging
  4. pitch — completely
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — for pool
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. branch — a division
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. present — the time now
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. ball — a dance
  16. cue — a signal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. present — a gift
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. ball — a great time
  24. mine — belonging to me

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