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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: pass · pound · key · court · pitch · bay · tube · trunk

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. tube — a container
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. key — in music
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. court — of a king
  17. pound — a weight
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. court — for sport
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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