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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: bulb · face · row · march · branch · pitch · mate · drill

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  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. march — music
  2. row — to paddle
  3. face — part of the head
  4. pitch — completely
  5. mate — to breed
  6. drill — a practice
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. branch — a division
  10. march — the month
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mate — a partner
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. mate — a friend
  15. drill — the tool
  16. face — to confront
  17. drill — army training
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. face — to point toward
  20. row — a line
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. march — the month
  23. bulb — for light
  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