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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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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: stand · deal · pitch · ruler · bowl · mate · branch · date

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. branch — a division
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. date — the fruit
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — to breed
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mate — a partner
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. deal — to handle

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