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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: pitch · rash · firm · hand · branch · scale · rest · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. rest — what's left
  4. hand — help
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — a division
  7. firm — steady
  8. scale — in music
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. face — to confront
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. scale — size or range
  14. rash — a series
  15. face — to point toward
  16. hand — in cards
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rest — a break
  20. pitch — completely
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. firm — decided
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. firm — a company

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