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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: mouse · capital · pitch · temple · hide · branch · nail · wave

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. capital — money
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. branch — a division
  13. pitch — completely
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. capital — a city
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. pitch — a sports field

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