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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. ball — a great time
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. lean — to bend
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pitch — completely
  10. present — there
  11. cue — a hint
  12. ball — a dance
  13. present — the time now
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. lean — thin
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — for pool
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. present — a gift
  23. pound — a weight
  24. chair — a leader

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