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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: key · snap · bowl · racket · suit · pitch · trunk · prune

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. key — the most important part
  11. suit — to fit
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. prune — to trim
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. suit — clothes
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. suit — in cards
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pitch — completely
  24. snap — to click

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