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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 120 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: degree · branch · pit · craft · pitch · racket · scale · track

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pit — a hole
  3. craft — boats
  4. scale — in music
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. track — a song
  7. degree — from a university
  8. degree — temperature
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. craft — a skill
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. track — a path
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. pit — in a race
  19. track — to keep track
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. branch — a division
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. degree — an amount
  24. scale — size or range

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