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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: pitch · cap · trunk · spell · foot · drill · content · press

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. spell — a short time
  7. drill — a practice
  8. content — happy
  9. drill — army training
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — completely
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. content — the amount
  14. spell — letters
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. drill — the tool
  17. cap — a lid
  18. press — newspapers
  19. foot — a measure
  20. cap — a hat
  21. press — to push
  22. spell — magic
  23. press — a publisher
  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