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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
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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: mate · pitch · ball · hide · bank · club · branch · hand

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — help
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — a group
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — a friend
  11. pitch — completely
  12. club — for golf
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. ball — a great time
  16. branch — a division
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bank — for money
  24. mate — to breed

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