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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: can · chip · pitch · kid · branch · ball · row · toast

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  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. ball — a dance
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. can — a tin
  6. kid — child
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. can — a tin
  9. row — to paddle
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. ball — a great time
  12. can — to be able to
  13. branch — a division
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — completely
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. toast — bread
  23. kid — to tease
  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