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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 116 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: pitch · lash · bay · scale · branch · bank · chair · row

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. row — to paddle
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. chair — a leader
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. pitch — completely
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. scale — size or range
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bank — for money
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. branch — a division
  20. bank — of a river
  21. scale — in music
  22. bank — for money
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. row — a line

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