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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: trunk · firm · bowl · bat · charge · pit · pitcher · hide

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pit — in a race
  3. firm — a company
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. pit — a hole
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. firm — decided
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. firm — steady
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. charge — in control
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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