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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: branch · rush · pound · bass · fork · scale · pass · pitch

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. rush — hurry
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. fork — in a road
  10. pitch — completely
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bass — the fish
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. scale — in music
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — a division
  22. bass — low music
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. rush — a thrill

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