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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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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. vault — a safe
  5. mark — a grade
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pitch — completely
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. firm — decided
  11. mark — a trace
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. deal — to handle
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. calf — of the leg

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