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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: can · deal · pound · field · fork · branch · pitch · pass

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — for sport
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. can — a tin
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. can — to be able to
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. can — a tin
  14. field — a subject
  15. fork — in a road
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. deal — to handle
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. branch — a division
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. deal — a big deal

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