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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: cabinet · lean · pitch · racket · calf · suit · prune · branch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. lean — thin
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lean — to bend
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pitch — completely
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. suit — to fit
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. suit — in cards
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. branch — a division
  22. prune — to trim
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. branch — of a tree

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