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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: kid · stand · game · pitch · jam · firm · leaves · trunk

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. game — wild animals
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. firm — steady
  11. pitch — completely
  12. kid — child
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — a company
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. stand — to bear
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. game — a match
  24. kid — to tease

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