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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 120 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: craft · pitch · dip · arm · bark · season · branch · chest

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. season — in sport
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bark — to shout
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. chest — a box
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. craft — a skill
  15. chest — of your body
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. chest — of your body
  18. season — of the year
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. craft — boats
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. branch — a division

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