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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: hide · squash · track · branch · temple · rest · pitch · wake

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. rest — what's left
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. rest — a break
  7. wake — a trail
  8. squash — the sport
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. branch — a division
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pitch — completely
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. track — a path
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. track — to keep track
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. track — a song
  22. squash — to crush
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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