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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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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 · branch · mate · temple · tear · bowl · suit · band

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. tear — from crying
  3. pitch — completely
  4. tear — from crying
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. mate — a partner
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. band — a music group
  13. branch — a division
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. suit — clothes
  18. tear — to rip
  19. mate — to breed
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. band — a ring
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. mate — a friend

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