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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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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: rush · bound · stand · pit · swing · wake · pitch · branch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pit — a hole
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bound — tied together
  5. rush — hurry
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — in golf
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — obliged
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. swing — to play on
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. branch — a division
  20. pit — in a race
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. stand — to bear
  24. wake — before a funeral

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