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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.

Make a worksheet

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: net · board · pass · branch · pitch · cap · temple · plane

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  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. pass — a permit
  2. branch — a division
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. net — after costs
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. pitch — completely
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — of ice
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. net — in sport
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. cap — a lid
  19. net — for catching
  20. board — to get on
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. plane — in geometry
  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