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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · cabinet · branch · cell · plane · hand · pass · rash

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. hand — help
  3. pass — a permit
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. hand — in cards
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. pitch — completely
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. rash — hasty
  18. cell — in biology
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. cell — a phone
  23. rash — a series
  24. branch — of a bank

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