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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: trunk · content · fan · pitch · stick · ball · leaves · pit

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. content — the amount
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pit — in a race
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. content — happy
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a great time
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. trunk — of a tree

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