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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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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: pound · pit · cue · branch · pitch · rash · toast · chair

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. toast — bread
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. chair — a leader
  8. pitch — completely
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. cue — a hint
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — a weight
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pit — a hole
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. cue — a signal
  21. branch — a division
  22. pit — in a race
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — hasty

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