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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: branch · swing · pass · shower · pit · hide · net · face

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pass — a permit
  3. face — part of the head
  4. swing — in golf
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. shower — to wash
  7. face — to confront
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. branch — a division
  10. swing — to play on
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. swing — music
  14. shower — rain
  15. pit — in a race
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. pit — a hole
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. net — for catching
  21. net — in sport
  22. face — to point toward
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. net — after costs

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