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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
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: fork · safe · branch · pitch · mug · pit · land · season

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. land — ground
  3. land — to come down
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pit — a hole
  7. mug — a face
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — in sport
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. land — a country
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. fork — in a road
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. season — of the year
  24. fork — a garden tool

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