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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 116 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: rock · cabinet · bass · pitch · branch · scale · pound · pit

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pitch — completely
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pit — a hole
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bass — the fish
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. scale — size or range
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bass — low music
  20. scale — in music
  21. rock — music
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pound — for dogs

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