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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.

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: leaves · pit · drill · bear · ball · mate · pitch · branch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mate — a partner
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bear — the animal
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pitch — completely
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. branch — a division
  12. drill — a practice
  13. drill — army training
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. ball — a dance
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bear — the animal
  21. drill — the tool
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. mate — to breed
  24. pit — in a race

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