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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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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 · lean · mate · bear · rush · rash · board · branch

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pitch — completely
  6. lean — thin
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. branch — a division
  10. rash — a series
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lean — to bend
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. board — a committee
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. board — to get on
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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