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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: deal · pitch · mouse · rash · branch · march · object · scale

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. scale — size or range
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. object — a thing
  10. march — the month
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. pitch — completely
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. scale — in music
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — an aim
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. march — the month
  23. branch — a division
  24. march — music

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