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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: spell · cell · toast · branch · pop · pitch · kick · file

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. branch — a division
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a tool
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. kick — in football
  10. pop — to visit
  11. file — a document
  12. pitch — completely
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. pop — soda
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. cell — a phone
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. toast — bread
  19. spell — letters
  20. pop — music
  21. spell — a short time
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. cell — in biology

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