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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: foot · bound · pitch · pit · rock · branch · scale · bark

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — a division
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. pit — in a race
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bound — tied together
  8. scale — in music
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bound — certain
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. rock — music
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pit — a hole
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. scale — size or range
  24. foot — part of the body

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