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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fall · present · branch · pitch · coach · temple · sharp · scale

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. scale — in music
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. sharp — clever
  6. present — the time now
  7. fall — to drop
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. present — there
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. scale — size or range
  13. branch — a division
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. fall — to drop
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. present — a gift
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — completely
  24. fall — the season

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