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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: pitch · lie · branch · bay · racket · stand · spring · spell

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. spring — of water
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. spell — a short time
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. spring — a coil
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — magic
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pitch — completely
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. stand — on your feet

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