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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: lash · trunk · ground · pitcher · net · cue · wound · stand

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. ground — a position
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. wound — an injury
  5. stand — to bear
  6. cue — for pool
  7. net — in sport
  8. cue — a hint
  9. ground — the earth
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. cue — a signal
  14. wound — an injury
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. ground — crushed
  17. net — for catching
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. net — after costs
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. lash — an eyelash

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