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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: can · coach · spell · foot · court · trunk · pitch · bulb

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — of law
  6. spell — letters
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bulb — for light
  11. court — for sport
  12. foot — a measure
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bulb — for light
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. pitch — completely
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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