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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: branch · temple · pitch · file · content · prune · leaves · craft

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — completely
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. file — a tool
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. file — a document
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. craft — a skill
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. prune — to trim
  13. branch — a division
  14. craft — boats
  15. prune — to trim
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — happy
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. file — a line of people
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. leaves — lets stay

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