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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 116 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: ruler · cabinet · nail · pitch · branch · row · wave · leaves

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pitch — completely
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — a line
  24. branch — a division

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