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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: saw · spell · mouse · branch · stand · bark · pitch · pound

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. spell — magic
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. spell — a short time
  7. branch — a division
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. spell — letters
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. pound — a weight
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bark — to shout
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pitch — completely
  22. stand — to bear
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pound — for dogs

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