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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: scale · pitch · jam · craft · lash · band · rush · branch

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. scale — size or range
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. rush — hurry
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. band — a music group
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. pitch — completely
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. scale — in music
  21. craft — boats
  22. band — a ring
  23. branch — a division
  24. craft — a skill

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