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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: suit · chest · pitcher · object · pop · trunk · temple · pass

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. object — to protest
  9. suit — in cards
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pop — soda
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. chest — of your body
  15. pop — to visit
  16. object — a thing
  17. chest — of your body
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. object — an aim
  20. pop — music
  21. chest — a box
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pass — to succeed

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