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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 · cue · wound · squash · pound · calf · key · dip

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. dip — to sink
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. key — the most important part
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. key — in music
  7. pound — a weight
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. squash — the sport
  12. wound — an injury
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. cue — a hint
  15. wound — an injury
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pitch — completely
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. cue — for pool
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. cue — a signal

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