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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: file · toast · pitch · present · branch · band · coach · row

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a line of people
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — a division
  5. pitch — completely
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. row — a line
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. present — there
  11. band — a ring
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. toast — bread
  20. present — a gift
  21. file — a tool
  22. row — to paddle
  23. present — the time now
  24. band — a music group

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