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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. craft — a skill
  3. can — a tin
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. craft — boats
  6. kid — child
  7. lean — to bend
  8. pitch — completely
  9. kid — to tease
  10. can — to be able to
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. can — a tin
  24. lean — thin

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