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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: pitch · branch · can · bat · squash · stick · firm · lie

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. branch — a division
  3. squash — to crush
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. can — a tin
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. squash — the sport
  9. pitch — completely
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. firm — decided
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bat — the animal
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — steady
  22. can — to be able to
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. bat — in an idiom

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