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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: board · bowl · season · squash · pitch · trunk · object · saw

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. object — a thing
  3. pitch — completely
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. season — of the year
  8. squash — the sport
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. squash — to crush
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. saw — the tool
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. season — in sport
  16. object — to protest
  17. board — a committee
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. object — an aim
  24. board — to get on

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