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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: present · can · pitch · branch · trunk · row · rule · band

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. can — a tin
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. branch — a division
  5. present — a gift
  6. row — to paddle
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. present — there
  11. present — the time now
  12. band — a music group
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. can — to be able to
  16. band — a ring
  17. pitch — completely
  18. row — a line
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. can — a tin
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. rule — government
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. row — a quarrel

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