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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: branch · ruler · cabinet · content · pitch · pit · mate · plane

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. mate — a partner
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. content — happy
  7. mate — a friend
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. pit — a hole
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. branch — a division
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. content — the amount
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. mate — to breed
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pitch — completely
  24. plane — a tool

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