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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: arm · root · cap · pitcher · pit · fan · pitch · trunk

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — completely
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pit — in a race
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. root — the cause
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pit — a hole
  17. root — of a word
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. root — of a plant
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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