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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: toast · prune · dip · bay · object · branch · pitch · file

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. file — a document
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. object — an aim
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. file — a line of people
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. object — to protest
  11. branch — a division
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. dip — to sink
  14. object — a thing
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. file — a tool
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. prune — to trim
  22. toast — bread
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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