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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: cabinet · track · trunk · fine · kid · chip · pit · pitcher

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. track — to keep track
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. fine — high quality
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pit — a hole
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. chip — for betting
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. track — a song
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. track — a path
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. kid — child
  23. kid — to tease
  24. fine — all right

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