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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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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: bear · trunk · mark · bank · branch · lean · firm · pitch

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bear — the animal
  3. firm — steady
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. branch — a division
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bank — for money
  9. pitch — completely
  10. firm — decided
  11. bank — of a river
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. bank — for money
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. lean — thin
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. mark — a trace
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. lean — to bend
  24. branch — of a tree

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