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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 120 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: chip · branch · racket · dip · fork · cabinet · temple · pitch

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pitch — completely
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. dip — to sink
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. chip — for betting
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. fork — in a road
  21. branch — a division
  22. chip — to eat
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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