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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 · bore · cap · pitch · trunk · firm · bulb · cabinet

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bore — to tire
  7. cap — of ice
  8. suit — in cards
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. firm — steady
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. firm — decided
  15. suit — clothes
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pitch — completely
  21. firm — a company
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bore — to drill

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