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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: trunk · cap · pitcher · leaves · coach · stick · pop · track

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. cap — a hat
  9. pop — to visit
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. track — a song
  15. track — a path
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pop — soda
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. pop — music
  20. cap — of ice
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. cap — a lid
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. leaves — lets stay

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