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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: trunk · pass · stick · pitcher · tube · kick · pit · key

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. tube — a container
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. kick — in football
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. key — for a lock
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. key — the most important part
  18. tube — the underground
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. key — in music
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. pit — a hole

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