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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: pitcher · hide · mark · saw · chest · tube · branch · leaves

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mark — a grade
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mark — a trace
  14. chest — a box
  15. tube — the underground
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. chest — of your body
  24. hide — to keep secret

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