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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: pitch · patient · branch · suit · leaves · ball · rash · hide

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. suit — in cards
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. branch — a division
  9. pitch — completely
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rash — a series
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a dance
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. patient — a sick person

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