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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
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: chip · club · trunk · lie · pitch · fan · face · suit

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. lie — to recline
  5. face — to point toward
  6. suit — to fit
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. club — for dancing
  10. chip — for betting
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. club — a group
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. suit — clothes
  16. face — part of the head
  17. chip — to eat
  18. suit — in cards
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. face — to confront
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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