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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: branch · bark · scale · fork · degree · pitch · nail · fall

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. scale — size or range
  3. fall — the season
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. degree — an amount
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — a division
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. degree — temperature
  17. scale — in music
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bark — to shout
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. fall — to drop
  23. degree — from a university
  24. nail — for a hammer

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