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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 120 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: pitch · staff · hide · tube · racket · mark · prune · leaves

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. prune — to trim
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pitch — completely
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. staff — employees
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — a container
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. staff — a stick
  20. mark — a grade
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. tube — the underground
  23. staff — employees
  24. prune — to trim

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