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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.

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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 · firm · spell · nail · hide · pitch · charge · toast

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. spell — letters
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. charge — a price
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. firm — steady
  8. spell — magic
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. spell — a short time
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. pitch — completely
  14. firm — a company
  15. charge — in control
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. firm — decided
  20. charge — electricity
  21. branch — a division
  22. toast — bread
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. branch — of a bank

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