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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
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: branch · pop · temple · pound · wake · net · bark · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pound — a weight
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. branch — a division
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pop — to visit
  13. net — in sport
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pop — soda
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pop — music
  21. net — for catching
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. net — after costs
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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