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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: branch · fan · tube · bank · pitch · wound · ball · club

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. ball — a dance
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. club — for dancing
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. bank — of a river
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — the underground
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bank — for money
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. club — for golf
  15. ball — a great time
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. branch — a division
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. club — a group
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bank — for money
  24. pitch — completely

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