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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 · suit · tube · mate · roll · pitch · staff · date

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. mate — a partner
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. date — the fruit
  6. mate — to breed
  7. roll — a list
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. roll — a cake
  12. suit — to fit
  13. staff — employees
  14. pitch — completely
  15. suit — clothes
  16. tube — the underground
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. branch — a division
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. mate — a friend
  22. tube — a container
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. suit — in cards

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