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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
468
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: fine · chest · net · bark · press · leaves · trunk · pitch

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. press — newspapers
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. press — a publisher
  5. fine — high quality
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. chest — of your body
  9. net — for catching
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bark — to shout
  14. net — after costs
  15. chest — a box
  16. net — in sport
  17. fine — all right
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. chest — of your body
  20. press — to push
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — completely
  24. fine — a penalty

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