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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 116 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: firm · rest · drill · pitch · branch · bark · fine · mark

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bark — to shout
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. drill — a practice
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pitch — completely
  12. drill — the tool
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. firm — decided
  17. rest — a break
  18. firm — steady
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. fine — high quality
  22. mark — a trace
  23. fine — all right
  24. firm — a company

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