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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 116 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: safe · bay · pitch · net · hand · branch · ruler · pound

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pound — a weight
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. pitch — completely
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. hand — in cards
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. branch — a division
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — for catching
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. net — after costs
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. hand — help
  24. safe — out of danger

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