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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: present · last · pitch · trunk · bat · cabinet · nail · cue

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. present — the time now
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. last — to go on
  10. pitch — completely
  11. last — final
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. cue — a signal
  14. present — there
  15. cue — for pool
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. last — finally
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. cue — a hint
  23. present — a gift
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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