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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 124 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: rush · pitch · fine · prune · suit · lean · squash · branch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. rush — hurry
  3. prune — to trim
  4. lean — thin
  5. prune — to trim
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. lean — to bend
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pitch — completely
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fine — all right
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — to crush
  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