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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: racket · suit · prune · scale · branch · pitch · field · bear

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bear — the animal
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. field — for sport
  7. bear — the animal
  8. branch — a division
  9. scale — in music
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — completely
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. suit — clothes
  18. scale — size or range
  19. field — farmland
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. prune — to trim
  22. suit — to fit
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. racket — for tennis

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