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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: arm · band · pitch · branch · coach · pound · key · leaves

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. key — in music
  5. pound — a weight
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pitch — completely
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. band — a ring
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. band — a music group
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. key — for a lock
  23. branch — a division
  24. leaves — of a tree

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