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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: cell · bowl · trunk · key · pitch · firm · stand · face

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. key — for a lock
  3. stand — to bear
  4. firm — decided
  5. face — to confront
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. face — part of the head
  8. key — in music
  9. key — the most important part
  10. firm — steady
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. firm — a company
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. cell — in biology
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. face — to point toward
  21. cell — a phone
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bowl — to roll

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