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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: row · staff · branch · pit · deal · pitch · march · track

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. track — to keep track
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. row — to paddle
  5. march — the month
  6. staff — a stick
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. deal — to handle
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. track — a song
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. march — music
  14. march — the month
  15. track — a path
  16. branch — a division
  17. staff — employees
  18. row — a line
  19. pitch — completely
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. staff — employees
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. deal — an agreement

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