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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 · craft · mug · suit · tear · trunk · chest · pop

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. mug — to rob
  3. tear — from crying
  4. chest — of your body
  5. mug — a face
  6. tear — from crying
  7. chest — a box
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. pop — soda
  10. suit — to fit
  11. craft — boats
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. suit — clothes
  14. chest — of your body
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. pop — music
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — a skill
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. tear — to rip
  24. mug — a cup

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