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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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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: suit · trunk · pitcher · leaves · lie · sharp · pitch · season

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. season — of the year
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. sharp — clever
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. suit — in cards
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. suit — clothes
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. lie — to recline
  23. suit — to fit
  24. season — in sport

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