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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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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: bowl · branch · file · arm · plane · scale · pitch · cap

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. cap — a hat
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. file — a document
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. file — a line of people
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. scale — in music
  15. cap — of ice
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. plane — a tool
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. file — a tool
  24. cap — a lid

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