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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 · fine · date · wake · mug · bay · fan · trunk

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. wake — a trail
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. fine — all right
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. mug — a cup
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. date — the fruit
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pitch — completely
  15. mug — to rob
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. fine — high quality
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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