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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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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: stick · rest · pit · pitch · scale · branch · deal · toast

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. scale — in music
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. branch — a division
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rest — a break
  14. scale — size or range
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pitch — completely
  17. deal — to handle
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. toast — bread
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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