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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: cue · branch · pop · leaves · rule · pitch · key · tube

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — soda
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — a law
  10. key — in music
  11. tube — the underground
  12. cue — a signal
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. tube — a container
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. pitch — completely
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — for pool
  24. leaves — to go away

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