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

Word bank: pit · pound · calf · race · suit · coach

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pound — a weight
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. suit — clothes
  10. race — a contest
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. race — the arms race
  13. suit — in cards
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. suit — to fit
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. race — humankind
  18. calf — a young animal

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