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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: march · saw · bank · field · leaves · board · pitch · pass

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  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. pitch — a sales talk
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. march — the month
  7. saw — the tool
  8. field — a subject
  9. march — the month
  10. pitch — completely
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. field — farmland
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. field — for sport
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. board — a committee
  20. pass — a permit
  21. board — to get on
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. board — a flat piece
  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