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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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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: arm · pitch · bank · deal · rock · scale · trunk · date

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  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. pitch — completely
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. deal — to handle
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. rock — music
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bank — of a river
  13. scale — in music
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bank — for money
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bank — for money
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. date — the fruit
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — on the calendar
  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