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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: pitch · ruler · pound · calf · chest · temple

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pound — a weight
  8. chest — a box
  9. pitch — completely
  10. chest — of your body
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. chest — of your body
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pitch — a sports field

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