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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rush · trunk · pitch · coach · tube · can · spell · pit

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. can — a tin
  3. spell — letters
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — a container
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rush — hurry
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. pit — in a race
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. pit — a hole
  16. spell — a short time
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. spell — magic
  19. can — a tin
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pitch — completely
  23. can — to be able to
  24. tube — in a tire

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