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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitch · branch · chip · scale · prune · leaves · stand · stem

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. pitch — completely
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. scale — in music
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. scale — size or range
  13. stand — to bear
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. stem — to come from
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. prune — to trim

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