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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: scale · pitch · suit · chair · bear · branch · mark · field

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. branch — a division
  3. field — a subject
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. scale — size or range
  11. mark — a trace
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. scale — in music
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. field — for sport
  17. bear — the animal
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. mark — a grade
  21. field — farmland
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bear — the animal
  24. chair — a leader

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