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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: calf · snap · land · bay · drill · pitch · cabinet · suit

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. drill — a practice
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. snap — to click
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. pitch — completely
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. drill — army training
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. suit — in cards
  15. land — ground
  16. drill — the tool
  17. land — to come down
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. land — a country
  22. suit — to fit
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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