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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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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. cap — a hat
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. cap — a lid
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fine — all right
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pitch — completely
  12. fine — high quality
  13. rock — a stone
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. staff — employees
  16. rock — music
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. cap — of ice
  19. staff — employees
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. staff — a stick
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. coach — a trainer

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