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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: calf · wound · roll · staff · wake · pitch · content · pass

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. content — the amount
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. pitch — completely
  6. wake — a trail
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. pass — a permit
  12. roll — a list
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. staff — employees
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wound — an injury
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. content — happy
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. wound — an injury
  24. pass — to spend time

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