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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: rush · racket · pass · plane · straw · branch · pitcher · board

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. board — to get on
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — a permit
  20. rush — hurry
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. board — a committee

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