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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: pitch · temple · patient · branch · bass · can · board · bound

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. can — a tin
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — tied together
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. board — to get on
  10. bound — obliged
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. branch — a division
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — low music
  22. board — a committee
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. board — a flat piece

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