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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 116 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: root · trunk · craft · wound · pass · patient · pitch · coach

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pass — a permit
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — the cause
  17. pitch — completely
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. root — of a word

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