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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 116 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: object · spell · pitch · safe · branch · club · present · bound

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. club — a group
  3. spell — a short time
  4. club — for dancing
  5. present — a gift
  6. bound — tied together
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. club — for golf
  9. branch — a division
  10. pitch — completely
  11. object — to protest
  12. bound — obliged
  13. object — an aim
  14. present — there
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bound — certain
  17. object — a thing
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. present — the time now
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. spell — magic
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. spell — letters

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