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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: staff · foot · pitch · branch · march · hide · ground · bore

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — crushed
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bore — to tire
  5. march — the month
  6. march — music
  7. bore — to drill
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. staff — employees
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. ground — a position
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. staff — employees
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. branch — a division
  20. pitch — completely
  21. staff — a stick
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. march — the month
  24. hide — to keep secret

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