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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: fine · pass · trunk · wave · net · pitch · suit · rule

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. net — in sport
  3. rule — a law
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pass — a permit
  8. rule — government
  9. suit — clothes
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. net — for catching
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. fine — all right
  24. net — after costs

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