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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 · dip · coach · mate · club · pitch · present · ball

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. branch — a division
  3. dip — to sink
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. club — a group
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. club — for dancing
  15. pitch — completely
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. present — the time now
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. club — for golf
  21. mate — a friend
  22. present — there
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a partner

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