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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: pound · dip · trunk · rash · stick · pitch · bear · tube

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. tube — a container
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. dip — to sink
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. rash — hasty
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pitch — completely
  18. tube — the underground
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rash — a series
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bear — to put up with

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