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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: pitcher · pop · fine · drill · racket · branch · stand · ball

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. drill — the tool
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pop — soda
  8. fine — high quality
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. fine — all right
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. drill — army training
  15. stand — to bear
  16. pop — music
  17. ball — a great time
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. drill — a practice
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. branch — a division

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