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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: bowl · branch · rule · object · pitch · cue · lean · mark

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. cue — a hint
  3. rule — government
  4. branch — a division
  5. cue — a signal
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. lean — to bend
  10. object — an aim
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. rule — a law
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. lean — thin
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. mark — a grade
  19. object — to protest
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. mark — a trace
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. object — a thing

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