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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
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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: pitcher · pit · scale · track · bank · chair · toast · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. track — a song
  3. bank — for money
  4. toast — bread
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. track — a path
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. track — to keep track
  13. scale — in music
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. branch — a division
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — in a race
  22. chair — a leader
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. bank — for money

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