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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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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: pitcher · sharp · squash · trunk · board · mug · key · face

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mug — a face
  4. key — in music
  5. board — to get on
  6. mug — to rob
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. key — the most important part
  10. face — to confront
  11. mug — a cup
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — to crush
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — clever
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to point toward
  19. key — for a lock
  20. squash — the sport
  21. board — a committee
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. pitcher — a jug

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