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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. board — a committee
  10. net — in sport
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pitch — completely
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. board — to get on
  16. net — after costs
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. net — for catching
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. lie — to recline
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. vault — a safe

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