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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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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: wake · lash · pitch · pit · firm · trunk · cap · wave

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. firm — decided
  3. cap — of ice
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. cap — a lid
  9. firm — steady
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — completely
  14. firm — a company
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — a trail
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — in a race
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. pit — a hole
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. cap — a hat

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