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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: pass · branch · bat · kid · pitcher · cabinet · arm · bay

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. kid — child
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. kid — to tease
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bat — the animal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. branch — a division
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pass — to succeed

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