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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: pit · coach · pitch · prune · suit · tube · racket · wave

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. tube — the underground
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. prune — to trim
  6. suit — in cards
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pit — in a race
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. pit — a hole
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. pitch — completely
  23. prune — to trim
  24. racket — a loud noise

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