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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 · safe · pass · hide · track · present · wax

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. pitch — completely
  8. present — a gift
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. present — there
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. present — the time now
  18. track — a path
  19. wax — to grow
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. track — to keep track

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