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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.

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: branch · lash · pitch · mark · board · hide · fan · lie

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pitch — completely
  5. board — a committee
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. board — to get on
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. branch — a division
  15. lie — to recline
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mark — a grade
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. branch — of a bank

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