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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.

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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: pitch · content · branch · saw · dip · key · leaves · shower

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. content — the amount
  14. saw — the tool
  15. key — in music
  16. pitch — completely
  17. key — for a lock
  18. shower — rain
  19. dip — to sink
  20. shower — to wash
  21. key — the most important part
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. branch — a division
  24. content — happy

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