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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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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 · lash · coach · pitch · rest · stand · hide · pass

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. pass — a permit
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. rest — what's left
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — completely
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. stand — to bear
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rest — a break

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