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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: plane · chair · trunk · pitch · suit · fine · wake · bore

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pitch — completely
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. chair — a leader
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bore — to tire
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. bore — to drill
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. plane — a tool
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. fine — all right
  24. plane — an aircraft

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