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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: branch · scale · bay · saw · pitch · kick · board · pop

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. board — a committee
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. scale — in music
  8. saw — the tool
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. pitch — completely
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — to get on
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. pop — soda
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. pop — to visit
  22. kick — in football
  23. pop — music
  24. bay — a horse colour

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