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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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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: trunk · lash · suit · mark · plane · pop · pit · pound

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pop — music
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. suit — to fit
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. pop — soda
  14. plane — a tool
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. pop — to visit
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. mark — a trace
  23. suit — clothes
  24. mark — a grade

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