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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 · mug · branch · kid · safe · fork · rush · land

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. mug — a face
  5. branch — a division
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. mug — to rob
  8. land — ground
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. land — to come down
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. land — a country
  13. fork — in a road
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. mug — a cup
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. kid — to tease
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. kid — child
  22. rush — hurry
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. safe — a strongbox

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