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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: suit · trunk · fan · stock · bark · coach · pitch · lie

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. suit — in cards
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. stock — shares
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. lie — to recline
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. suit — clothes
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. stock — goods
  24. suit — to fit

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