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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 120 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: pitch · board · mark · hide · branch · content · rash · stick

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. content — the amount
  4. branch — a division
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. board — to get on
  8. mark — a grade
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pitch — completely
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. mark — a trace
  15. board — a committee
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. content — happy
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rash — a series
  24. hide — to keep secret

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