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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: pitch · bear · row · object · drill · toast · branch · board

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. toast — bread
  4. row — a line
  5. branch — a division
  6. object — an aim
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. drill — a practice
  9. row — to paddle
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — completely
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. board — a committee
  14. drill — army training
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. object — to protest
  23. drill — the tool
  24. board — to get on

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