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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.

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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: pitch · bay · pop · staff · hand · lie · saw · trunk

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. saw — the tool
  8. staff — employees
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. staff — a stick
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. hand — help
  17. staff — employees
  18. pop — music
  19. hand — in cards
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pop — soda
  24. saw — the tool

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