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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.

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: staff · pitch · calf · bulb · rest · plane · wound · branch

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pitch — completely
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. plane — a tool
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. wound — an injury
  11. staff — employees
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. rest — a break
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. staff — employees
  22. bulb — for light
  23. branch — a division
  24. staff — a stick

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