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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: stand · ball · scale · pit · calf · coach · pitcher · date

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. scale — size or range
  3. stand — to bear
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. date — the fruit
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. scale — in music
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ball — a dance
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pit — in a race

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