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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: branch · squash · mine · pitcher · safe · pop · chair · hide

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pop — to visit
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. branch — a division
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. squash — the sport
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. chair — a leader
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. mine — for digging
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. pop — music
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. pop — soda
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. squash — to crush

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