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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: band · suit · pitch · branch · pass · content · toast · rule

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. rule — government
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. content — the amount
  8. branch — a division
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. suit — in cards
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. pitch — completely
  16. band — a music group
  17. content — happy
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. rule — a law
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. band — a ring
  22. toast — bread
  23. suit — clothes
  24. branch — of a bank

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