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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · pitch · scale · bound · mate · safe · chair · root

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. mate — to breed
  4. root — of a plant
  5. mate — a partner
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. branch — a division
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. bound — obliged
  10. scale — in music
  11. root — the cause
  12. bound — certain
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. scale — size or range
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. chair — a leader
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bound — tied together
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. root — of a word

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