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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 120 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: bass · lie · branch · bowl · board · pitch · can · firm

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. firm — a company
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. board — to get on
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. can — a tin
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bass — the fish
  11. board — a committee
  12. firm — steady
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. firm — decided
  18. bass — low music
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. branch — a division
  24. can — a tin

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