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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. pitch — completely
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. branch — a division
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. toast — bread
  8. scale — size or range
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. last — finally
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. last — final
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. last — to go on

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