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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 120 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: leaves · club · rock · tube · branch · cell · pitch · band

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. club — for dancing
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pitch — completely
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. cell — in biology
  10. band — a music group
  11. club — a group
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — a container
  14. club — for golf
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. band — a ring
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. cell — a phone
  22. rock — music
  23. tube — the underground
  24. cell — in a prison

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