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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.

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 · chest · trunk · chair · ball · can · coach · pit

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pitch — completely
  4. can — a tin
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — a hole
  10. chair — a leader
  11. pit — in a race
  12. ball — a dance
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. can — a tin
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. ball — a great time
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. chest — a box
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. can — to be able to
  24. chest — of your body

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