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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 · charge · wound · pop · calf · kick · temple · squash

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pop — to visit
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. kick — in football
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. pop — soda
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. squash — to crush
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. charge — electricity
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. squash — the sport
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — an injury

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