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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: branch · spring · pitch · snap · race · mark · spell · cue

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. branch — a division
  3. spring — a coil
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. spell — letters
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. race — a contest
  8. cue — a hint
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — a grade
  11. spell — magic
  12. spring — of water
  13. spell — a short time
  14. snap — to click
  15. cue — for pool
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. cue — a signal
  19. spring — the season
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — completely
  23. race — humankind
  24. mark — to pay attention

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