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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: can · ground · trunk · present · pitch · roll · temple · fine

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — the time now
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pitch — completely
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — high quality
  11. can — a tin
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. roll — a list
  14. can — a tin
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. present — a gift
  18. ground — crushed
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. ground — the earth
  23. roll — a cake
  24. ground — a position

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